


Holy Hands

by This_is_my_toenail_collection



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Blasphemy, Canon Continuation, Character Study, Christianity, Complete, Drama, Drowning, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Mild Gore, Mystery, No Smut, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Swearing, no longer canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:46:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 42
Words: 59,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22901920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_is_my_toenail_collection/pseuds/This_is_my_toenail_collection
Summary: MCs year in the exchange program is over. But after a vicious attack from an unknown monster, they and their sister return to the Devildom seeking sanctuary.
Relationships: Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Lucifer/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 110
Kudos: 89





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Update: I moved the art around so the placing in the story made a bit more sense

The stars shone kindly on the earth as the humans settled into their homes for a quiet sleep. 

Such peculiar creatures, simple and dull. Ignorant yet too smart for their own good.

At least in his opinion.

He glided through the air on snow white wings, silent as an owl. He watched as the day-loving creatures retired to their burrows and the flowers closed their petals to await the coming morning. 

So many wonderful creatures had been created to walk this paradise, he would never understand  _ why  _ **He** would make the ungrateful humans in the first place. Much less the  _ rulers _ of a place they were so clearly undeserving of.

But it was not his place to question  **Him.** Oh heaven forbid, for questioning meant a horrible pride that could get an angel struck from heaven forever.

He'd seen it happen. 

No, surely  **He** had a reason so awesome it was simply beyond his understanding. Because no matter how often he walked the earth and observed the humans he could never understand the greater plan. 

He smiled to himself, he could feel it coming. The time when he would question no longer. The time when the humans would prove themselves. With them or against them.

0

It had been 2 weeks since the end of MC's whirlwind exchange school escapade in the Devildom. Yet nothing seemed to be amis upon their return. No missed days at school or work, no missed phone calls or text messages. Not even mail. 

It was as if they'd been dropped exactly where they'd left off in their life. As if it had never happened.

They hated it.

They wanted things to be different.  _ They _ were different. They couldn't stand the thought that none of it had mattered, or worse, it had all been a wonderful dream. They brought their DDD everywhere as if it were their lifeline. Their only proof of the wonderous world where their found family still waited for them.

They walked the snowy street back to their house. To their dog and their snake and the one person worth returning to the earth for.

Their little sister.

Acacia was the only real tie MC had to the human world. She was a spunky loud girl with no filter and a knack for making people not like her, and MC loved her more than anything. It hurt all the more that not even Acacia had realized MC was gone.

The sky grew dim as MC continued their stroll home, they could've sworn they saw a large bird fly off out of the corner of their eye. It was probably just an owl, but the uncertainty made the approaching night all the more ominous. 

Their thoughts drifted again to the brothers with whom they had shared a home for a year. They thought of Mammon and his ridiculously obvious crush on them. MC tried hard not to pity the greedy boy but he lived such a loveless life that the simplest kindness shown to him prompted undying trust and loyalty. He's lucky a cult hadn't picked him up yet. 

Then there were the twins, one so bitter he'd kill a human and laugh at their dying gasps. The other so soft and sweet it was hard to believe he was a demon at all. MC respected both in their own right. So different and yet such a deep bond, it was hard not to think of their own sister and relate.

Satan was the most recognizable name and yet the most distant brother. MC lamented not taking more time to know him, but something told them he distanced himself for good reason. MC was not afraid, but they would respect his space. They were secretive too.

Asmodeus couldn't be closer. Literally, he spent as much time as he could stuck to MCs side like a conjoined twin. He was straightforward about his attraction to MC but also straightforward about his attraction to every imp who walks by. MC could never pin down whether he was sincere and it bothered them. At least they knew Satan was fake.

Levi was the most relatable, he was a weeb and he was adorkable to the point of seeming like he was the youngest. They'd been off to a bad start what with the insults and the attempted murder and whatnot, but they were on good terms now. And MC found themself still humming the themes to some of the animes he'd forced them to sit through.

Finally the eldest. Lucifer occupied their thoughts often since their farewell from the Devildom, MC had actually gotten a pact from him. He was upfront about what he wanted. He kept secrets but never hid who he was. Like his brothers he'd suffered horribly after the death of Lilith, but he put himself together every morning and worked for a better life for him and his brothers. He baffled MC, inspired them, and made them want to be better than they are in that same way.

They stared down at their numbers on their DDD. Willing one of them to text or call, willing some kind of notification or invitation to light up the screen. Putting the phone-like device back into their pocket they turned the door handle to their home.

0

Chester is a dog and he is happy and that's all he knows. 

He is sitting on a comfy spot with a hooman he loves and he is full and warm and full of stuffing. 

No, not that last one. 

He is full of….happy! Chester is a dog and he is happy. 

The DOOR!!

THE DOOR IS OPEN AND OTHER HOOMAN IS BACK I MUST BRING THEM MY TOY BONE!!

DO YOU SEE IT? THIS IS MY TOY BONE!!

It's my only possession and I want you to see it. It makes me happy so it will make you happy too.

Other hooman is not happy lately. Chester is not the smartest dog he knows, but he can tell when someone is sad. Other hooman is probably sad cause the boy smells are wearing off. That's probably it.

Toy bone will make them happy.

See it? See toy bone? Isn't it AMAZING??

Hooman smiled! Chester saw it! Hooman exposed their teeth and that's a hooman happy signal he knows. He is not the smartest dog but he knows that one. 

Chester is a dog and his hooman is happy and that's all he knows.

0

"Hello pretty puppy wassthat? Is that your bone? Good boy covered in fur and full of stuffing." MC coo'd almost nonsensically at their dog. 

Chester, meanwhile was wiggling madly as he trotted in circles to receive pets on all sides. In his jaws he held a large rubber bone that he displayed proudly to the room.

Acacia immediately dropped her voice to impersonate Chester. "I have BONE! praise me and accept bone as your Lord and savior!" Chester jumped onto MC as if to confirm Acacias translation. MC took Chester by the paws and proceeded to mimic ballroom dancing with the confused doggo. 

"He is Chester and he dance dance dances!" MC declared receiving approving whoops from their sister. 

Settling down on the couch, MC pulled out their DDD again. Chester spun in a clumsy circle before plopping down in a ball between the two siblings with a contented huff. The sound of the TV in the background was familiar as Acacia decided to watch the same show on Netflix for the umpteenth time. 

MC knew they couldn't live without their sister. They wished with everything they had that they could bring Acacia to the Devildom. Introduce them to the wonderful friends they'd made and the charming world they'd fallen in love with. 

They imagined she would like Leviathan. They both liked anime and they both had social anxiety. Perhaps they could convince Diavolo to let them do another year. This time with their sister. Just as soon as they worked up the nerve to call.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry the dog doesn't die.

Acacia didn't rush as she walked the dog home from the corner store. MC walked slightly ahead carrying the plastic bags filled with junk food they'd bought. The spearmint gum in her mouth soothed the nausea that had been growing since breakfast. Her previously rising anxiety subsiding for the moment. 

Her and MC took turns belting out lines to various musicals as they walked. Not caring if they sounded good, just trying to be as loud as physically possible. Chester bounded along happily hoping the humans would share the food with him when they got home.

Until the wind changed and he got a sniff of something evil.

"What are you barking at dawg?" Acacia scolded. But Chester kept up his vocal assault on the shadow of an old building. MC approached the shadow, an icy feeling in their gut.

0

Evil! The evil thing was trying to threaten the humans!

Chester would not let that happen.

Go away! Go! Go! Go! Go away! Go! Go! Get out of here! Go! 

0

"Stop your borking boy!" Acacia was struggling to hold the large pit-mix back with the leash. It was too late that MC realized exactly what was staring back at them from the shadows.

#### TW violence and blood ####

The creature sprang from it's crouched position behind the building. It landed so fast and so heavy onto MC that they were knocked yards away.

Acacia had never seen anything like it. The thing looked like a horse with the wings of a fly. And the head of a human. It's hooves crushed MC without remorse, only letting them cry out once before they lost consciousness. It stamped them into the dirt and snow as if they were just a fallen leaf on the sidewalk. 

It wasn't until Acacia saw the dog latch onto the beasts neck that she realized she'd let go of the leash. The creature flung the poor pup away with little effort but quickly realized it didn't have any business there. It disappeared into the ground itself just as fast as it had appeared.

Chester trotted back to Acacia's side shaking and huffing, his fur still on end. Acacia stood shocked looking at the lifeless mound of limbs that  _ couldn't  _ be MC.

What should she do? Call 911? What would she say? She hardly understood it herself and it happened right in front of her face.

Slowly...her heart hammering in her chest, her whole body like ice, she walked towards MC. She supposed she'd better assess the...damage.

MC was broken. Broken bones were visible where they stuck out of their mangled skin. Their ribs caved unnaturally and their complexion was turning a horrifying shade of greyish-white. There was so much blood. It covered their face and arms, obscuring what she suspected were the worst injuries.

#### end of TW ####

Acacia's stomach turned, her head spun and the world started slowly tilting. It wasn't until her head hit the snow that she realized she was falling over. 

She laid there for what may have been days. She had to move, to call someone or do something but no amount of mint gum could calm the tidal wave of sickness that tore through her like a machete through the thick vegetation of her  _ soul. _

Her vision blurred and her whole body shook as she tried desperately not to vomit. Reality no longer had any familiarity and she just wanted more than anything for this to not be what was going on.

Focusing on the ground in front of her she saw something unfamiliar. It took her a moment to realize it was unfamiliar since reality had lost all meaning in her dissociation. Out of MCs pocket had fallen a phone. Not their phone, a different one. 

She had to call someone, a hospital or the cops or a priest just  _ someone. _

Gripping the phone with violently shaking hands she saw on the lockscreen the most comforting 2 words she'd ever read.

"Emergency Contacts"

Pressing the button probably 4 times in rapid succession due to her trembling, she put the phone to her ear and tried to hold back tears as it rang.

Bzzzzzz

Bzzzzzz

Bzzzzzz

Bzzz--

"Hey! About time MC!"

Acacia didn't recognize the man's voice. She couldn't speak, she was too afraid.

"What you don't text for weeks and then you call just to ignore me? What's wrong with you?"

She had to say something. This was MC's emergency contact which means they trusted him. Her voice shook.

"Hh-h-" hot tears trailed down her cheeks as she laid in the snow. Trying desperately to form words.

"Did you pocket dial me or something? No one messes with the great Mammon like this ya know!"

"Hh-he-l-p he-lp hel-p ple-ease we- nee- heelp!" She was sobbing into the receiver now that she's gotten the words out. Her whole body felt like it was turning inside out at the navel. 

"Woah wait who is this? Why do you have MC's DDD? What's the meaning of this!!!"

Men yelling caused Acacia to freeze up, it had her entire life. But she worked too hard to speak to surrender now. MC needed her. 

"HELPP PLEASE YOU HAVE TO HELP US they're dying! They're pr-obably already DEAD they're DEAD! WHATAM I gonna do??!" She was manic and her fear forced the screams out of her like steam from a boiling kettle. Unstoppable and so painful she shook even harder.

"WoAH OK hold on MC's HURT??! We're on our way NOW! LUCiferrr!"

The voice faded away as he seemed to drop his phone in his haste. Acacia dropped the phone to the snow too exhausted to cry or shake, too exhausted to feel the panic anymore and yet it persisted in her ribcage. Chester had long since settled down in the snow beside her.

She fell asleep instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	3. Chapter 3

She was probably only out for a few minutes before she was woken by what sounded like a loud clap of thunder. Eyes shooting open and panic assaulting her senses once more as she took in the multitude of strangers that had appeared. 

One frightening man stood in the snow with a gloved hand over his mouth, looking rattled but not to the extent of the others. A tan man in an expensive looking jacket battered the first with questions, begging for something he can do to help. The tallest of them had his arms wrapped around a shorter man in pajamas. Both with twin looks of wide eyed horror at the place in the snow where MC had been attacked.

A man with blue hair was yelling nonsensically and pacing while a blond man sat on the sidewalk with his head in his hands. The last of the seven-piece-set was a very attractive man who had passed out in the snow upon witnessing the horror show they were subjected to.

Acacia stared as the small army of men she'd somehow summoned proceeded to panic. Only the frightening man had the presence of mind to assess the situation and call medical professionals to help. 

The man with the cool jacket sat down next to her after a while. She hardly noticed him until he spoke.

"Where's their DDD?"

Acacia came back to the realization that she was surrounded by strange men that she'd never met who seemed to exude power, and she found a whole new fear creeping in.

"You're the one who called me right?" The man pressed. Acacia tried to answer but her tongue was like lead in her mouth. She managed a nod. "Well give me the DDD then. I don't want them to lose it."

Acacia took far too long to realize he meant the weird phone still sitting in the snow. Quickly she snatched it up and thrust it at the stranger. Too harsh, now he probably thinks she's rude. 

Pocketing the DDD the man continued his interrogation. "Who are you? How'd you know to call us?"

"Acacia…" that was all that would come out. She was lucky she'd managed to say anything at all.

"That doesn't answer either of my questions!" The man's tone was irritated and it made Acacia's skin ice over...she was afraid she'd freeze again.

"I….um sister-I'm MCs sister and I just called you cause I didn't know what to do and I was panicking and I'm still panicking and now I'm talkingtoomuchI'msorry." Acacia mentally kicked herself for her complete inability to say anything normal. Why was she like this?

The man just chuckled a little.

"Ok you're weird. But any sister of MCs is a sister of ours! Or...I mean like not an actual sister like 'any friend of yours' ah forget it you know what I mean… I'm Mammon. So don't forget it or I'll eat you." Mammon finished the sentence lamely and seemed to cringe at himself.

Suddenly Acacia felt a little less scared of this...Mammon….Even though he'd just threatened to eat her. What was that about? 

Another man approaching caught Acacia's attention. Looking up she realized it was the blond man who was on the sidewalk earlier. 

He was carrying Chester.

This man was full on carrying her 65-pound Pitbull mix in his arms like a common chiwawa. He smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Your hounds paws were cold from the snow, you should find him a better place to sit.

"Um...looks like you got it under control." She thought she said it in her head but the way the man's face went from kind-of nice to definitely displeased signaled her slip up. This is why she didn't talk to people!

She was sincere when she said it but the way Mammon started laughing like it was the funniest joke he'd heard all day made her smile.

"Family meeting, now!" The frightening man announced, to the immediate compliance of his...brothers? They all converged a few yards away from where she'd been sitting, Mammon got up to join them pulling Acacia with him. Too nervous to protest, she got to her still shaking legs and let herself be dragged to the brother-huddle.

"We- Mammon what is this?" The frightening man's voice was to the point. 

"This is MC's sister! The one they were always talking about. Introduce yourself Acacia" Mammon gestured to the flustered human girl. 

"No I'd really rather not!" she said a little too loud while staring intently at the ground.

"Alright then," the frightening man continued as if there hadn't been an interruption. "MC is in critical condition, but Lord Diavolo sent the finest medical team to their aid and everything that can be done is being done."

"But are they gonna be alright Lucifer? That's what we all want to know!" The man who passed out earlier chimed in what the others must be thinking.

"All we can do now is wait and trust in their strength to pull through this" Lucifer answered solemnly. "Now, I say we go home, regroup, and I'll work with Diavolo to determine exactly _what did this_." 

Acacia shivered, the last words were spoken with the wrath of the devil himself. The atmosphere changed as the brothers seemed to silently agree with the righteous anger the intimidating man was radiating.

"Alright so… you're gonna wanna hold onto me." Mammon's smug voice broke the tension as he offered an arm to Acacia. 

She was genuinely reeling from everything that was happening. These people she didn't know who all seemed to know MC were trying to take her to a second location. She slowly backed away from 'Mammon'.

"I don't wanna go anywhere with _you"_ oh no, she didn't mean to emphasize the 'you' like that… but Mammon didn't seem to catch it.

"What? Why not! You wanna know if MC's ok right?"

"I...I…" that wasn't a fair question, of course she did! "Well yeah but you're all strangers and you're...ok you're _literally_ named Lucifer." She pointed accusingly at said man.

Lucifer wore an offended expression but only for a moment. Then he spoke softer than before. "Your hesitation is completely understandable, but you have my word that if you come with us you will remain unharmed."

"Yeah I won't let Beel eat you." The man in pajamas elbowed the ginger giant standing beside him. In response, the giant's stomach growled loudly and a light blush dusted his cheeks.

"Yeah come-on, you can trust us!" Mammon held out his hand and flashed Acacia a smile so genuine it almost blinded her.

Acacia stared at the hand for a moment. If MC trusted them... surely she could too, right?

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes she grabbed Mammon's hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	4. Chapter 4

The world bled slowly back into their mind as they awoke. Unfamiliar white sheets bound them to their bed and very familiar faces surrounded them on all sides.

Staring at the brothers they'd seen only in dreams these last few weeks, MC found themself unable to move. There was an ache in their limbs that spread down through their very bone marrow.

Slowly they formed the words they wanted, speaking slowly.

"Did I die again?"

The tension in the room seemed to escape through an unseen drain as the brothers all relaxed at the joke. 

"MC! Don't be sayin' that! You were asleep for like 2 years!" Mammon.

"Please, Mammon it was 3 weeks. But you very well could've died MC, I suppose you're just too stubborn after all." Lucifer.

"You've got to be starving! I saved you some cafeteria jello." Beel.

"Well he  _ tried  _ to. Beel you're holding an empty container." Belphie.

"Don't worry about the injuries hun! I have a special cream that can get rid of scars like magic." Asmo.

"Levi, stop crying, they're fine see? Just fine, no need to be upset." Satan seemed to be convincing himself more than Levi.

"I know, I'm just relieved. The only normie I've ever liked almost died! Not that I like you all that much…"

MC listened to the boys talking over each other and completely forgot they were in a hospital bed covered in bandages. 

They felt right at home.

Until an even more familiar voice rose above the others.

"MC did you say... again?"

The room went quiet as Acacia serfaced amongst the septet of brothers. She looked shaken but whole, MC was relieved she had not been attacked as well.

"Uh...well-"

"You  _ died? _ Before this?" She didn't sound angry, just overwhelmed.

"Yup" was their short answer, no point in sugar-coating it.

Acacia sat on the edge of MCs bed and stared at her hands for a moment. Looking up she spoke at a more normal volume than usual.

"I can't believe you went on a crazy magic adventure with time travel and divine lineages and goddamn demons and you didn't even send me a picture, what the heck man?" Acacia giggled.

MC laughed as well, though the action hurt their bandaged ribs.

"I see you met the trouble I got into" MC gestured to the boys, each looking sheepish but none willing to leave the private conversation. 

"Yeah they're…intense." 

"Hey don't talk about us like we're not here!" Mammon piped up indignantly. Acacia flinched involuntarily at the shout and MCs big-sibling-mode kicked in.

"Hey keep it down buddy or I'll kick you out." Mammon backed off quickly. Acacia smiled softly at MC in thanks.

Lucifer apparently decided everyone was done and spoke up. 

"Well after this I can hardly permit you to return to the human world until we can determine the cause of this attack."

MC took a moment to process the meaning of the words before their heart started to beat faster. 

"So...we get to stay here?" They asked hopefully.

"That would be the safest course of action, yes." He narrowed his eyes as he smiled mischievously at MC. Oh there were double motives afoot.

"What? But MC, what about our life on Earth? Your job and my school-stuff...and Apophis?" Acacia questioned desperately.

MC fixed Acacia with a stare, they had to think about what was best for her.

"I hate my job, you hate school and RAD can give you a much better education anyway." MC tried to persuade her. 

She thought for a moment. 

"This is crazy, we can't just drop everything and live in the Devildom."

"Why not?" 

Acacia stared at her hands some more. Her face went from startled to thoughtful. Then finally to a small smile.

"I guess there's nothing really holding us there but each other huh…" she seemed to entertain the thought.

"We can go back for Apophis, I mean...what else is really there for us?"

Acacia looked out the window at the bright lights of the Devildom. It was beautiful and she'd only seen a small part of it. She felt her chest expand with a feeling of excitement, adventure! MC was giving her an almost pleading look. 

Could they stay? Just until the mysterious creature was caught?

Acacia turned back to MC.

"Ok let's give it a shot."

0

Weeks went by as MCs broken bones healed. The medical technology in the Devildom was better than on Earth, but it still took  _ way  _ too long for them to be discharged. 

In the meantime, Acacia and MC answered as many questions as they could psychologically handle about the attack. What had happened, what the creature looked like, how it disappeared, all for the sake of finding out what was going on. It was pretty obvious to the brothers that the creature was one of Abaddon's giant locusts, but the demon couldn't be reached for questioning.

Chester had taken up following Acacia around the Rad campus to scare off cocky lesser demons. Mammon developed this habit as well, much to Acacia's flustered annoyance.

"That scrawny mutt couldn't win a fight with its own tail. You're lucky Kay, my race got canceled so I've got nothin better to do today. No need to thank me."

Acacia visited MC every day in the hospital.

Eventually the human siblings could no longer ignore that their pet snake, Apophis, was still alone in their home. Reptiles could go almost a year without food, so he was fine on his own for quite a while, but it was still cruel to abandon him.

Acacia volunteered to bring Apophis back but was quickly stopped by none other than Lucifer.

Lucifer had been acting odd, he got noticibly more stressed as the investigation continued and no solid motive was found. He paced and scribbled on papers, he texted Diavolo obsessively, he didn't sleep at all anymore.

Acacia didn't care much for controlling men, and after what little she'd seen of Lucifer she'd quickly developed a negative opinion.

"I can't allow you to return to the human world alone until we know why MC was attacked." He insisted, as if talking to a small child. 

Acacia wasn't much for arguing, but she couldn't just lie down and be disrespected like this.

"Well I can't just leave Apophis there, MC loves that snake and it hasn't been fed in over a month. That's never a fun time. Move!" She yelled. Lucifer didn't budge against the comically angry little girl.

"Go play with Mammon or something." He dismissed.

Acacia didn't move. The nerve.

Lucifer sighed, this was definitely MCs sister. Her persistence reminded him of another sister he once knew…

"Fine, you may retrieve your pet."

"Yes!" Acacia hissed under her breath pumping her fist once.

"Under the condition that I accompany you."

"Whaaaaat?" She whined, "why can't Mammon go with me?"

"Because he's an untrustworthy scoundrel"

"Ouch, he's your brother dude."

"Unfortunately." 

Acacia narrowed her eyes at the eldest brother. Mammon was a little weird but so was she. She made a mental note to thank MC for not being a dick like Lucifer. 

"Whatever, let's just go already." She crossed her arms and huffed.

Lucifer allowed himself a smirk, of course there were other brothers who could chaperone, but he knew his presence would annoy her the most. That's what you get for being a brat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucifer had been to earth a few times. 

He never cared for it, but he went now and then for business or just a change of pace. Most often he ended up there to retrieve a wayward brother. He was sure he'd seen the worst of it.

Oh how wrong he was.

Never had he seen such a rundown street. It was more pothole than road, if you could call the one lane alley a road. The shrubs were scraggly and unkempt, the air smelled like gasoline, no one mowed their lawn. Lucifer couldn't believe MC lived in a place like this. He'd only been there for a few minutes and he'd decided it was longer than he ever wanted to spend.

The house was marginally better. Painfully small and dull, mismatched furniture and shabby carpeting. But it was warm and it was clean. It smelled like sandalwood… odd.

"Please retrieve your snake quickly, I'd like to leave as soon as possible." Lucifer couldn't help but sneer at the pathetic place.

Acacia wasn't as good with her words as MC but she knew emotions to a T. She could clearly feel the contempt radiating off of Lucifer as he scrutinized her home and it made her blood boil.

"I didn't ask for you to come here you know." She snapped. " It's not much but we worked hard for it so...fuck you!" She added the curse for extra punch.

Lucifer kept his mouth shut despite the flood of threats and comebacks that came to his mind. No need to prolong this trip by arguing.

Acacia led Lucifer up the stairs to MCs room. There wasn't a door, just a blue blanket covering the doorway like a curtain. Upon entering a wave of smells hit him, all of them pleasant. Dust and warmth and smoky patchouli, all the smells that made you want to sit down and do something simple. Like knitting or watching a nice movie.

Where the rest of the house was tidy, this room was  _ not.  _ Shelves had no order, the carpet was indistinguishable from the sheer amount of stuff covering the floor. The bed was unmade and there were books and paints all over it. Lucifer immediately backed out of the room.

"What now?" Acacia rolled her eyes.

"That room hurts my eyes, you retrieve the snake."

"Oh so now I'm allowed to go places alone? Now that it's convenient for you?"

"I don't have to dignify that with a response."

Acacia crossed her arms and stared Lucifer down. He stared back, making her immediately avert her eyes to the floor.

"It's because it's messy isn't it! God you're so pretentious how can you be Mammon's brother." She snapped while closely examining her shoes. Trying to hide her embarrassment with accusations.

"We can go back now and your snake can be left to shrivel." He answered coldly.

"No no MC would be heartbroken, they paid a lot for him and they've had him since he was a baby snake." Acacia sighed. 

Lucifer didn't actually intend to leave the animal to die, but he was getting sick of this little girl being difficult.

They both stood there for a moment in silence.

"Well?" Lucifer prodded.

Acacia continued to stare at the ground. "Icntgthmbmslf.." she mumbled angrily.

"Could you repeat that?"

"I can't get him by myself!" She yelled and stamped one foot.

"What?" Lucifer didn't see why she couldn't have mentioned this earlier.

"He's… I mean I'm not… I'm not  _ scared  _ of snakes, it's… oh you'll see, just help me ok!" She grabbed Lucifer by the sleeve and dragged him back into the room.

Again he was confronted by the sweet smells and perilous organization of the room. Acacia stopped dragging him and moved to open a large glass tank on the far side of the room.

Lucifer hadn't taken the time before but now that he was standing in the room he saw the mess wasn't just a mess. All around, scattered on the floor and over the shelves were unfinished projects. Knitting, sewing, painting, drawing, crafting, clay, tape, string. Every material and craft under the sun was strewn around the room in a creative panic. A lot of finished projects as well. Fully made outfits, huge oil paintings, intricately woven tapestries. Even the wall paper wasn't what it appeared to be. 

Murals lined each wall. Obviously painted at different times, large pictures of fantastical beings or landscapes. Full made-up stories depicted in acrylic. Lucifer stared in awe, the longer he stood there and took it all in the more he noticed. 

Beach glass window hangings casting colorful sunlight through the room, wooden wind chimes probably hand-carved, Ragdolls and papers with poems and stories sat on the bed and...was that sheet music?

"Hey tall, dark and judgmental. Are you gonna help me?" Acacia held what looked like a large hook. Gesturing for Lucifer to approach.

"What do you need of me?" He asked upon reaching the young human.

"Just hold out your hand and...try to act like a tree"

Puzzled, Lucifer did as he was told. Acacia reached the hook into the tank and moved a cave looking structure. Underneath it was not what he was expected. He had expected a garter snake or perhaps some kind of corn snake to reside in a hovel like this.

Instead a huge, beautiful boa stared back at him. Tan with brown spots.

"I see why you may need help" he relented. Even curled up he could tell the snake was easily 7 feet long. 

"Mhm" was Acacia's tense reply "I've never actually done it on my own" she confessed.

Tapping the creature twice with the hook, she scooped it up close to the head. She audibly groaned as she struggled with the creatures weight before placing it in Lucifers outstretched hand. He involuntarily flinched, not knowing the snake's temperament. He was not afraid, he'd faced much more threatening creatures. But...he'd never  _ held  _ a snake. It was heavy but not slimy like he expected. The scales were smooth and cool, and the creature was remarkably docile. 

Acacia lifted the other end on the snake out of the cage, having to use both hands to support it with the hook. She then placed the rest of the snake on Lucifer's other arm. He noticed the tails deep red color as it coiled around his arms. It actually started to climb on his face, much to his distress.

"Oh look, he likes you" Acacia drawled sarcastically as she put the hook back.

Lucifer said nothing, he was too distracted. He had to close one eye as the snake with seemingly  _ no boundaries _ started slithering through his meticulously kept hair. 

"Take this thing." He finally relented.

"Nope, I gotta carry the tank" she replied. She punctuated it by hoisting the large tank up with no hesitation. She struggled slightly before settling its weight in her arms and motioning that she was ready to go.

"You're...uhgg" Lucifer held the snake away from him trying to get it to stop climbing on him. "You're stronger than you look." He finished his compliment.

"Thanks, and he's doing that cause he doesn't wanna fall." She giggled. "He wants to rap around something more secure, MC usually puts him on their shoulders." 

"Ngggg…" Lucifer groaned as the snake tried to smell his face with its tongue. Carefully he lifted the reptile above his head and settled it on his shoulders. It shifted for a minute before settling. "This is an interesting pet."

They started heading back down the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure if MC does anything normal they'll go into a coma." Acacia joked.

"I see that, just their room is odd. The murals were most impressive." 

"Yeah, they begged me to sketch one so I did. You saw the explosion?" 

"Mhm"

"Yeah that was all me, cool right?"

They continued like this. As they walked back through the house he noticed other things. The unfinished game of cards on the table. The twin video game controllers plugged into the TV. The framed artwork adorning the walls, some of it obviously drawn by a young child.

They walked back out into the street to the gate. He noticed the sidewalk chalk and the two bikes locked to the stairs and the dog lead. 

He didn't notice the potholes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	6. Chapter 6

MC was thrilled to see their snake again, and they couldn't suppress their laughter at seeing Lucifer utterly struggling with the reptile.

"Keep that thing confined to your room. I already have to put up with Levi's pets." He stalked off after that.

The following month MC was discharged on crutches. The brothers threw a ridiculously extravagant party to welcome them back to the house. MC mostly watched as the brothers interacted, they really had missed these dumb boys and Acacia fit perfectly now that she'd gotten used to them.

But something still nagged at them. Tapping Acacia on the arm MC motioned for her to follow them out of the main party area.

"What do you need?" Acacia asked brightly. Her and the brothers had been a bit overly-attentive since MC was discharged. It was cute.

"Lucifer's hiding something,"

Acacia blinked, she knew how blunt MC could be but to accuse someone outright was rare.

"Yeaaaah I get the feeling he's _always_ hiding something." She replied, eyes darting towards the party room.

"He's hiding something about the attack." This grabbed her attention. "I need your help to find out what it is. We were the ones attacked we deserve to know."

"Um... you sure it's a good idea to mess with Lucifer? I mean...he's _Lucifer._ "

"You afraid of him?" MC teased.

"YES! you're not?" Acacia waved her hands wildly with her shout.

"Shhhh" MC shushed her, looking anxiously back at the party room. "Are you trying to tell the whole house?"

"Sorry".

"And no I'm not afraid of that entitled brat, he'd sooner lick Diavolo's shoes than tarnish his integrity by letting anything happen to us. The program's too important."

"But the programs over"

"My point still stands. He's hiding something and...we have to find out what."

"Why?"

MC thought for a moment. They formulated their words in their head before speaking.

"Because he hides too much. He needs to know whatever it is we can handle it."

"Oh how noble of you." Acacia rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, I care about these brothers ok? Lucifer's no exception." MC looked down at the floor. "He shouldn't try to do everything on his own." They mumbled to themself. Acacia looked at her sibling, perplexed. MC didn't usually take an interest in the mental health of others except for her. What had the ultimate boomer done to get under their skin?

"Hey guys! You can't just leave your own party" Levi called them from the party room.

They both agreed to text about it later.

The party lasted long into the night. Asmo got so wasted he started making out with Chester. Mammon lost almost 45,000 grim to Satan betting on chess games. MC and Acacia almost died trying to see how tall they could stack the furniture. Lucifer didn't make an appearance. It was a good night. 

Mammon volunteered to walk Acacia and MC back to their room, which was just as well given he was the only one still conscious.

"Thanks Mammon" Acacia yawned.

"Aww don't mention it, I'm just making sure you don't get eaten. You humans are so fragile and useless…" he trailed off, blushing profusely.

"Who"

MC looked around, who had asked that?

"Uh... Mammon." They answered.

"Yeah?" Mammon replied.

MC was confused for a moment and looked at him.

What just happened?

0

**Fuzzy**

Hey MC? What's the battle plan?

I say we go to Diavolo directly 

so we don't even have to deal 

with Lucifer

Good pitch...but I don't think I 

wanna go behind Lucifer's back

Well how are we gonna trick 

him without going behind his back?

I didn't want your help to 

trick him, I wanted your help

to confront him

MC I think you know how I

feel about confrontation

Well going behind his back

is underhanded and cowardly

I raised you better

You didn't raise me! We're 

practically the same age!

Hush child papa knows best

GROSSSSS!! That's it 

I'm not helping you.

Nooo fuzzy I'm sorry

Come on

Beg

Christ I hate you

Beg for forgiveness,

make it pathetic

...pretty please help me

I can't do this without

you Acacia.

That's better

Ok...so we're confronting 

Lucifer.

Yes, and if that doesn't

work we're confronting

Diavolo.

And what do you need

me to do?

...stand there and agree

with everything I say?

Seriously??

I can't talk to anyone here 

cause it's always 7 against 1

I need your support!

Ok...but you owe me

Flaming locker incident,

6th grade

We're even!

0

MC and Acacia stood outside Lucifers bedroom door. Acacia chewed her gum and bounced on the balls of her feet. MC was mentally preparing themself. 

"I bet we walk in on him dancing to Brittany." They chuckled. Acacia let out a nervous laugh, she stopped bouncing and took a deep breath. Jokes in tense situations weren't MCs style but they always helped Acacia when she was anxious.

"Well, you gotta knock sometime MC"

"I'm sure he already knows we're here." MC grimaced before knocking on the door. Three curt raps.

"Come in" 

Nodding to Acacia, MC opened the ornate door.

Lucifer stood waiting in the room. Dressed and proper, as if he'd expected them.

"It's quite a surprise for someone to visit me in my room. Come in." Lucifer smiled as he gestured for the siblings to enter.

"Is this a bad time?" MC inquired.

"You know I always have time for you dear." Lucifer replied smoothly. "Acacia" he nodded politely to the girl.

"Well I'm sure you already know, but we're here to ask you about the attack." 

Lucifer's pleasant expression faltered and he pierced MC with a scrutinizing stare. MC held his gaze without hesitation.

"I'm afraid I've already told you everything I know." He said evenly, not taking his eyes off MC.

"Why can't you just be honest. We deserve to know what's going on."

"Yeah!"

"Thank you, fuzzy."

"You don't get to say what I should and should not reveal." Lucifer continued staring down MC, but their gaze held strong.

"I don't think you get to say what we should or shouldn't know." They retorted calmly.

The room was silent. 

MC realized they were getting nowhere and broke eye-contact to check on Acacia. She was looking frantically between the two parties, but she didn't look too nervous.

"It's ok if you're uncomfortable telling us. We can just ask Lord Diavolo about it."

"No, I forbid it--"

"You _forbid?_ " 

MCs piercing stare met his again. Not nearly harsh enough to make him look away but enough to make him stop and think.

"Even though I _could_ stop you. I won't." He finally relented. "You've been through a lot recently so this time I will permit you to do as you wish." He clicked his tongue, still waiting for MC to shy away from his glare.

MC knew they could argue that he wasn't _permitting_ anything, but there was no point in furthering the argument.

"Thank you for your time Lucifer, let's go Acacia." With that they left.

Lucifer sat down on his bed. So brazen was that MC, he didn't know what he'd do with them. How was it possible they didn't know what effect they had on him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	7. Chapter 7

"Man I could've swore he was gonna kill you right there. I can't believe you actually stared him down" Acacia walked in front of MC as they made their way to the meetup. MC had texted Diavolo to meet them and he'd been more than happy.

"Well Lucifer's always had a soft spot for me. He's got a thing for me you know."

"Whaaaaat? No way. How do you know?"

"It's not like he hides it," MC shrugged. "I don't really lie to him, I trust he'll figure it out if I do. In return he doesn't lie to me." MC paused. "But I have a suspicion that's because he doesn't think I'm worth lying too." They scowled at the floor.

"Well...do you like  _ him _ ?" Acacia grimaced as if the thought made her ill.

"I love him." That was the shortest, most honest answer they could give. "It's kind-of complicated."

"Ok well spare me the details then," Acacia raised a hand as if to physically block out the thought of their sibling liking someone.

"We're here" MC announced to the meeting room. Diavolo sat at a very official looking meeting-table with Barbatos at his left hand...and Lucifer at his right.

"Hello! Please please have a seat!" He greeted them jovially and gestured to the other two chairs at the table.

The humans took their seats, Acacia to MCs right. One trying very hard not to look at Lucifer and the other staring at nothing else.

"You said you had some questions about your stay here MC?" Diavolo got the ball rolling.

"I have questions about the attack that led to my stay here, my Lord." Acacia gave MC the side eye when they said 'my lord' but they ignored it.

"I see…" Diavolo was cautious but didn't seem upset by the inquiry. "Well what would you like to know?"

MC and Acacia looked at each other. They'd practiced beforehand to make her feel better, but she still squirmed in the presence of the unfamiliar men.

"What was the creature that attacked MC?" She asked.

"Well I've already told you, it's been identified as one of Abaddon's giant locusts."

"Why did it attack?" MC countered smoothly.

"Those beasts are unpredictable, there's any number of reasons why it could've attacked you. Perhaps it was hungry."

"But it didn't try to  _ eat  _ MC!" Acacia was getting loud now. "It just tried to murder them! We wanna know why!" She slammed her fist on the table, making Diavolo raise his eyebrows and Lucifer's frown even deeper.

"Abbadon has refused to give a statement so for the time being this is all we know." Diavolo stated as if it were the end of the discussion.

MC didn't move. 

"What aren't you telling us?" They asked coldly.

Lucifer interjected indignantly, "You dare accuse Lord Diavolo of lying?" He stood from his chair, four wings stretched high above his head to accentuate his size and power.

"Now now Lucifer, I think they have a right to be suspicious. We have hidden things in the past." Diavolo placated. Lucifer reluctantly sat back down. "What makes you think we know more?" He asked kindly.

"We don't think, we know." MC retorted in a voice like stone. Unbreakable.

"Should I escort them out my Lord?" Barbatos spoke up for the first time

"If you do we'll just come back." Acacia warned, MC placing a hand on her shoulder.

"We  _ will _ get our answers." MC affirmed.

Lucifer was practically on fire, he was so angry. The insolence! After all Lord Diavolo had done for them they dare threaten him?!

Barbatos simply waited for an order.

Diavolo calculated for a moment, never taking his eyes off the siblings.

"Very well, there's no real sense in hiding it." He conceded.

"My Lord you must not  _ reward  _ this behavior!" Lucifer protested.

"I will conduct my business with the humans on my own terms thank you." His response was uncharacteristically cold. Lucifer shut up immediately.

"So?" MC urged, hand intertwining with Acacia's.

"The attack, yes, we have reason to believe there was...Divine involvement." He stated carefully.

MC and Acacia processed the information.

"Like...like God?" Acacia asked cautiously.

"Oh no nothing that direct…"

"Then what" Diavolo's attention turned back to MC.

"Well, angels haven't interfered in human affairs for many thousands of years but...there is reason to believe an angel organized the attack."

"Why?"

"That we still don't know." MC scrutinized the words. He'd been almost ashamed to say them. He was telling the truth, they didn't know why.

"Well why was this so important you had to hide it? What does it mean?"

"You can't even comprehend the ramifications of this" Lucifer interrupted. "It was pointless to tell you, I hope your search for answers was worth it."

Lucifer was unusually cruel in his tone and posture, so much so that Acacia put it together.

"Dang you're different around Diavolo. Chill out."

"I'm sorry" Diavolo shook his head, "you must forgive his outbursts...he is feeling a little targeted by this whole situation."

"Please my Lord...do not speak in my stead." His face blushed bright red in embarrassment at Diavolo's words. 

"Well it's true, the mark we found was that of Michael wasn't it? I believe you two have quite a history." Lucifer was visibly squirming now. A welcome sight after his angry outbursts.

"Michael?" MC was not expecting such a high-ranked angel to be after them.

"Yes...and if it's true then it could mean another conflict brewing between realms." There it was, the reason this was an issue worth hiding. The reason Lucifer had been tearing his hair out and stressing in silence.

This could be a sign of another war.

Acacia seemed confused, "No...that's ridiculous. MC's not important enough to start something like that. No offense"

"None taken"

"Well we don't think you're the cause, but the attack could very well be a sign or symptom of rising tensions."

There was silence for a few beats before Acacia spoke up.

"So...that's it?"

"What do you mean 'that's it?'" Lucifer spat, still embarrassed from Diavolo's call-out."

"I mean is that really the  _ big secret _ you've all been hiding?" She waved her hands wildly over her head as she spoke.

"As I suspected you don't fully understand the ramifications of this." Diavolo sighed. "We are facing a possible conflict among forces far beyond your perception. It could uproot not only our lives but the lives of everything in creation. It's an existential threat that we have no answer for and no way of pursuing one."

MC and Acacia exchanged a knowing look.

"That's pretty standard on Earth." MC shrugged.

"What?" Diavolo deadpanned.

"We're _always_ being existentially threatened by forces beyond our understanding." They clarified.

"Yellowstone could blow!" Acacia suggested.

"We're overdue for a shift in magnetic poles causing world-wide loss of power."

"A rogue blackhole could swallow the solar system."

"Anti-vaxers could lead to another black plague that wipes out humanity"

"The dinosaur meteor incident could happen again!"

"Tensions between bratty entitled world leaders could lead to a nuclear world war."

"And don't get us  _ started _ on global warming!"

The Demons just stared, what could you say to that?

"The thing is," MC concluded, "we've  _ always _ dealt with huge looming threats we know nothing about. It's kinda silly to worry about this one if there's nothing we can do."

Diavolo looked to Lucifer for guidance. The prideful man just stared at the table.

"Well…" he cleared his throat, "I guess that concludes the meeting" his voice was unusually tight and he left rather abruptly. Barbatos followed close behind.

Lucifer watched them go. He looked back at the siblings and his entire demeanor had changed. Where he was irritated and entitled he was now pensive and stoic. He seemed like he wanted to say something but decided against it. He followed Diavolo out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	8. Chapter 8

Diavolo pulled Lucifer into the nearest empty room.

"Did you know of this?!" He shouted.

Lucifer wasn't caught off guard by the question.

"I knew the humans faced a few threats...but I had assumed they weren't aware of them."

"You  _ knew _ earth was that dangerous? And you let me send Soloman and MC  _ back? _ " He stared wide-eyed at the fallen angel.

"I didn't know the specific's my Lord...I just knew there was a threat. Not so many... horrifically  _ imminent _ threats." Lucifer kept a cool facade but his mind was racing just as fast as Diavolo's.

How had he not known the dangers he was sending his MC into? How had they found out about these threats when even  _ he  _ wasn't aware?

Diavolo asked Lucifer a question, and he realized he'd stopped paying attention in favor of his own inner thoughts.

"Pardon?"

"I said 'have I been stupid?'"

Lucifer was incredulous. "Of course not."

"You don't even know what I'm referring to."

"What then?"

"I…" Diavolo choked on his words for a moment. "I tried to unite the realms… but this makes me wonder what else I don't know. Was I naive to think I could foster friendship with a place and a people I don't even slightly understand?"

This was a much more complex question. One Lucifer would have trouble finding an answer for.

0

"Alright so...what do we do now?" Acacia looked to MC as they walked back to their room. 

"We live I guess, you heard them there's nothing we can do."

Acacia nodded. Just live, like they did before. Reaching the room Chester bounded up to the humans wagging his tail. Brand new bone clamped proudly in his teeth.

0

Hoomans see this? This is  _ New Bone _ .

New bone is so much better than bone, it's got marrow and everything! See? You see new bone? Isn't it the BEST THING EVER!?

Yes it is, Chester can tell from the pets and the high voice-noises the hoomans make. Don't just pet that side pet this side. Oh oh now do this side! 

What? No, don't stop pettingggg! Put the fang-noodle DOWN! Down hooman! Ah the fang-noodle gets all the attention.

Chester isn't too worried. They all share a kennel now so he'll have to get more pets eventually.

0

Lucifer stood outside the door. He could hear the silly hound they had running amuck inside. He swore that the dog was trained to act untrained.

In his gloved hands he clutched a small stack of papers. Diavolo and him had agreed on this proposal, but he didn't think he'd have to tell them  _ right now _ .

After the way they'd been behaving lately he was hoping to be able to give them the cold shoulder for a week or two, but now he had to ask them for a favor.

No not a favor! If anything he was doing  _ them  _ a favor by offering this opportunity. Still he had to squash his pride down in order to knock.

"It's open!"

"Heh"

Slowly he turned the handle.

Opening the door, he had mentally prepared himself for the jumping, noisy, excited canine. Still it jarred him when the thing stood on its back paws and stuck its nose in Lucifer's face. Lucifer gave it his patented disappointed stare and the dog backed down.

"Hello Lucifer, to what do we owe the pleasure?" MCs voice snapped his attention to them like a trained animal. Damn their velvety drawl.

"Whaddya want?" Acacia translated.

Straightening himself up to full height he fixed the siblings with a stare.

"I've come to discuss the matter of your... permanent residence in the Devildom" he stated.

The siblings looked at each other in confusion.

"Permanent?" Acacia tilted her head. Chester copied the gesture.

"Yes...my brothers…" Lucifer swallowed "and myself...have grown quite fond of your presence here MC. And despite Acacia's...many flaws, she has made her mark here as well."

Acacia tried to think of a good come-back but none came to mind. Lucifer, however, was on a roll.

"Due to the current circumstances, as well as the clear and present threats of Earth, Lord Diavolo and I have elected to move you here permanently."

MC's mind stalled for a moment while they processed the words. Stay permanently? They wanted it so badly it physically ached, but looking at Acacia she seemed reproachful. 

Acacia comes first.

"That is an incredibly generous offer Lucifer, but we have to discuss it before we make any decisions."

"Alone" Acacia clarified.

Lucifer stared at them a moment longer. What if they refused? It didn't even occur to him they'd refuse such an offer, but when they didn't agree immediately…

"Very well." He stepped out of the room.

He wouldn't let MC go back. He was giving them the illusion of choice, but too much had happened. On his watch they'd died, and when he sent them away they almost died again. He'd already been given more chances then he needed to keep MC safe and this time he was determined.

They would stay in the Devildom with him where no one would even look at them without his knowledge. He would keep them so close that even a Celestial threat would think twice, because to threaten you would be to challenge him. And to challenge him is to die.

Meanwhile on the other side of the door.

"What about our  _ home  _ MC? We worked so hard just to keep it afloat and now you want to throw it all away?"

"I'm not throwing anything away, I'm just saying you shouldn't make a decision so hastily. We  _ did _ work hard and we've had to work hard for a long time, but I really think we can have a better life if we stay here."

"Yeah but it won't be  _ our  _ life!" Acacia placed both hands on her chest as she yelled. "You'll be abandoning everything we've worked for since…" Acacia trailed off, eyes unusually shiny for the upbeat girl. MC shook their head slowly, wide eyed.

"That house is  _ not  _ our home, our home made that house. Don't you see? It doesn't matter where we go,  _ we  _ are our home." MC cupped Acacia's face, pressing their forehead to hers. "I won't make you stay here fuzzy, wherever you go I will follow.  _ That  _ is home." They promised.

Acacia hugged MC tight around the middle. MC wrapped their arms around her neck and rested their chin on top of her head.

"All our stuff is still there…" she mumbled into their chest.

"We can replace it"

"We can't replace my journal"

"You can write a new one, and fill it with new experiences"

"What about your art?"

"I don't make it to keep it, I make it to make it."

"This is crazy"

"Well it's up to you. I'll follow whatever you decide."

"Nuuuuuu that's too much pressure!" She whined, pulling out of the hug.

"I'm sorry Acacia you gotta decide...you can take your time." They soothed.

Acacia thought for a moment. She'd miss her friends back on Earth, but she'd miss the friends she'd already made in the Devildom. Especially Mammon and Beel. She was torn, there were so many pros and cons to consider. All of it tangled up in her head and made a jumbled mess.

MC was on their DDD, probably trying not to pressure her by staring. They always had her best interest at heart. They were so talented and cool, and she was so awkward and dumb. Why did  _ she  _ have to decide this?

She knew MC wanted to stay, she saw the way their face lit up when it was first suggested. She heard how their words picked up whenever they talked about the brothers. One brother in particular.

Lucifer was probably getting impatient outside. She didn't really like him but he obviously meant well. MC said they 'loved' him, but knowing them that probably didn't mean what she thought it did. She looked over at them again, they smiled softly down at their phone.

Could they make new memories here? Could they make this their home?

"Alright" she threw open the door to reveal Lucifer still waiting patiently. 

"Give us the papers, we're staying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a longer chapter this time. Hope you enjoy!

The transition to the Devildom was easy seeing as they already lived there. Now they were preparing to never leave. The house of Lamentation was marked as their permanent address, they were enrolled in RAD indefinitely, and the brothers were more than happy to have them.

It was nice, for the first time in years they didn't have to scrounge and save and pool their money just to afford to live another month. Acacia took up the things she had to quit on Earth. She did theatre, played the violin, joined the anime club and the D&D club. She was thriving and MC couldn't be more thrilled.

MC was especially relieved by the new living arrangement. They'd started so many projects they couldn't finish because they were so busy trying to make enough money for groceries. Now they could go back to school full-time, they could have a social life _and_ have time to spend alone on their passion projects. They could just live in the knowledge that Acacia was flourishing and everything was going to be ok. Like finally coming to land after years at sea, the relief was euphoric.

Although there was never truly peace in the house full of rambunctious devil-boys, peaceful was the only way to describe the routine they all fell into.

It was an equally peaceful night when MC was taking their nightly walk through the halls of the house of Lamentation. They valued the time they had alone to think, to reflect. And it was during this time that the most peculiar of sounds came to them. A soft singing on the very edge of their consciousness.

Walk to me

Walk to me

Then it was gone.

The next night as they walked they heard it again.

Walk to me 

Walk to me

Walk to me paidí

Walk to me"

And that was it. 

On the third night…

Walk to me

Walk to me

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

Walk to me paidí

Walk to me now

They found themself taking an unusual route, one they'd never taken before.

  
  


Walk to me

Walk to me

Walk to me

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

Walk to me

Walk to me

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

Closer tóra

Walk to me paidí

Closer tóra

Walk to me now

They dug their heels into the carpet of the hallway to stop themself from following any further. Through their head flashed memories of a mysterious voice calling out for them in the night. A voice begging for help, begging them to follow.

And the same voice laughing as they gasped their final breaths.

They stopped taking walks after that.

For a few weeks this helped, they didn't hear the voice if they went to bed early enough, and they could live their life as usual. Acacia had no idea what it could mean and suggested they see an otolaryngologist.

Unfortunately the voice was persistent. It found its way through the halls and through the door to MC's room. Seeping through the cracks in the walls to reach their ears and drive them mad.

Walk to me

Walk to me

Walk to me

Walk to me!

zitíste tin klironomiá sas!

Walk to me!!

Walk to me!!

It grew louder, unbearably so.

zitíste tin klironomiá sas!!

Closer tóra!!

Walk to me paidí!!

Closer tóra!!

Walk to me now!!

WALK TO ME NOW!!

They tried earplugs and headphones and pillows but the voice permeated their skull and bounced around in their head. 

ZITÍSTE TIN KLIRONOMIÁ SAS!!

CLOSER TÓRA!!!

WALK TO ME PAIDÍ!!

CLOSER TÓRA!!!

WALK TO ME NOW!!

Inescapable was it's echo.

They ran through the halls as it continued its relentless assault.

WALK TO ME PAIDÍ!!

"What?! What do you want?!" They shouted at the sky, "I won't follow you! I won't be tricked again! Leave me _alone!!"_ They cried desperately, hands squeezing the sides of their head. It felt like it might crack open at any moment from the inescapable sound.

"MC…? Are you ok?" 

Beelzebub looked over the mountain of midnight snacks he was carrying to see a frightened and panting MC. His question had dampened the noise for now, but how long?

"No...I don't think I am. Beel I'm hearing voices." They admitted.

In a flash he downed the snacks and approached the frazzled human.

"Voices? Like...in your head?" He asked.

"Yeah, just like back when I used to hear Belphie. Only this voice is singing...and it's just so _loud_ I can't…" the usually well articulated human struggled to compose their words over the cacophony in their head. "It wants me to follow…" they finally got out.

"Then follow it," Beel shrugged.

"But...but what if it's a trap?" They gave Beel a pointed look and the demon got the underlying reference.

"Belphie didn't _mean_ to trick you, he just...didn't really know you." He defended. 

"Still, I'm in no hurry to repeat that mistake." Beel flinched and MC instantly felt bad about their choice of words.

"How about this" Beel pondered, "you follow the voice and I follow you. If there's anything dangerous I'll just eat it, ok?" He smiled like he'd solved everything.

Dagnabbit this man was too cute.

"Ok...but only to get this _noise_ to go away." They conceded.

So they followed the song, and Beel walked beside them. Never judging or complaining, just following. The longer they followed the more tolerable the song became. A nice sound instead of a garrish one. Perhaps because they were no longer fighting it.

After what seemed like hours of walking, they came to an unfamiliar door. They both stopped and stared before Beel spoke up.

"We can't go in there, no one's allowed in there."

MC heard the song once more.

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

Walk to me paidí

móno eseís boreíte na eisélthete

Closer tóra

Walk to me paidí

Walk to me now

"What is this place?" 

"It's where Diavolo keeps his stuff he doesn't want to lose" Beel answered, cleaning out one of his ears with a pinky finger. "Lucifer gets really mad if we go in there"

afíste tin frourá sas stin pórta

móno eseís boreíte na eisélthete

Walk to me paidí

Walk to me now

"I have to go in."

"Wow you're really crazy, I wouldn't risk it."

"Well good cause she said you can't come with me"

"She?" Beel looked down at MC quizzically. MC thought for a moment.

"Yeah, she." They confirmed. "I've got to see this through now that we've come so far."

"Ok...I'll guard the door then" he relented. MC reached for the handle. "Wait MC"

"Hm?"

He hesitated. "If you need anything...just yell ok? I'll come runnin'" he promised. MC nodded once and opened the door.

"I will"

0

The room was dark as they shut the door behind them. They walked slowly on bare feet through the forbidden room. It was quiet in a way they didn't want to disturb. The voice had quieted to a whisper as well.

Walk to me

Walk to me

zitíste tin klironomiá sas

Walk to me

They followed the voice through another door.

And another.

They felt like they were going through a maze. Each room leading to another, all piled high with treasures. Not gold or jewels, but old scrolls and weapons and goblets. Each one labeled and in its proper place. All of them seemed to radiate power and history. The whole place reminded them of the cave of wonders from Aladdin.

Needless to say they touched nothing.

Still the voice persisted until finally they pushed through the last door. This room was filled with objects from the Celestial realm. Golden Lyres and silver plate armour. Gleaming statues and intricate tapestries hung among beautiful paintings. MC was awestruck by the sights. There was one more thing that caught their eye.

In the center of the back wall hung a huge golden bow.

It's shape was simple but the handle was carved with ornate, winding runes and symbols they didn't recognize. The string looked like it was made of light. It glowed white, brilliant. As they had expected, the voice called them closer to it.

Moving until they were a step away from the breathtaking weapon, they held out their hand to it, only to pull it away quickly when they realized what they were doing.

"I am _not_ stealing from Lord Diavolo. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have a death wish." They spoke firmly.

The voice no longer sang, it spoke.

"You cannot steal what is yours paidí"

MC was suspicious now. Theirs? But there was no way they'd ever owned something this nice, much less a _weapon._ And the voice seemed oddly familiar... perhaps?

"Lilith?" They spoke to the voice. It did not respond for a long time.

"yes" she seemed reluctant to reveal herself.

"So...it's been you this whole time?"

"Why do you hate me?" 

MC was taken off guard. That was out of left field.

"I don't hate you."

"Yes you do, you despise me and you despise being my decedent." She sounded genuinely hurt, like she'd cry any moment.

"I…" MC had no response, they wouldn't lie.

"Please...save me your pity. You have good reason to hate me after all my mistakes have put you through. But I want you to know that I love you." She cooed.

MC cringed away from the over-familiarity of the sound.

"You are too far removed from me to truly be mine but I _love_ you MC. Like my own flesh." She continued, "and I want you to have this." Her voice indicated to the bow again.

MC ran their hand down the flawless gold all the way to the grip.

"This was yours... wasn't it?"

"It was taken from me along with my wings when I was struck to Earth forever. Now it is yours, it is your birthright." Her voice held a tone beyond pride at the thought of MC accepting the gift. She was practically quivering in excitement to share this little piece of legacy with them.

They looked at the weapon critically. It was beautiful no doubt, but in their hands it would be useless.

"I don't know how to use a bow." They confessed.

"Take it." She urged, not seeming to hear MC. With a shrug they picked up the bow by the handle. The stand latch released and the bow came free with ease. The huge weapon felt remarkably balanced. That's when a flash of light knocked MC to the floor. Eliciting a frightened yelp.

The glow lasted a few more seconds before the bow was gone. They were confused for a moment before raising their hand to their ear. In the reflective surface of a nearby shield they saw it. In their ear was a brand new earring. Shaped like a golden bow it spanned the entire outer lobe up to the helix. They stared in awe at the tasteful jewelry form the bow had taken.

"Call upon it if you are ever in danger again. It is your weapon now, and it will not fail you." She instructed.

"But…" MC questioned, "didn't it fail _you_ all those years ago?"

Lilith seemed to laugh at the notion.

"No child...it is I who failed"

And with that her presence was gone.

The silence was welcome after days of suffering. Unfortunately it was quickly broken by a loud bang. The door to the room flung open and Beel burst through. Full demon form.

"MC! Is everything ok? I heard you yell!"

MC stared back from their spot in front of the bow holder. They had some explaining to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> paidí (παιδί)  
> zitíste tin klironomiá sas (ζητήστε την κληρονομιά σας)  
> tóra (τώρα)  
> móno eseís boreíte na eisélthete (μόνο εσείς μπορείτε να εισέλθετε)  
> afíste tin frourá sas stin pórta (αφήστε την φρουρά σας στην πόρτα)
> 
> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	10. Chapter 10

It wasn't difficult to placate Beel, what was difficult was deflecting his questions.

"Why'd you yell?"

"I just tripped"

"Did you find anything?"

"No"

"But the voice--"

"It's gone now, mission accomplished."

They weren't eager to tell him the voice had been his long dead sister now that he was finally healing from her loss. That was the last thing he needed. He seemed to know something didn't add up, but he didn't pry. Bless him.

Navigating the way out was much faster than the way in. They raided the kitchen one last time for good measure before going their separate ways for the night.

The walk back to their room was quiet for the first time in weeks. They fiddled with their new golden accessory, and thought back to what Lilith had said. They couldn't shake the feeling she'd had a reason to give it to them now.

But why? What would they need a weapon, a  _ divine _ weapon, for? It seemed like a warning. They pondered the future and thought back to another warning they'd received recently.

'Ah, you can also use your D.D.D in the human world, so let's stay in touch.'

'And if something happens, let me know right away. Okay?'

What had Soloman meant by that? He'd always been a little too shady for a fellow human...what did he know?

Opening the door to their room, they tiptoed silently through the dark. Acacia was sleeping soundly, arms wrapped around Chester as he slept beside her.

They padded to Apophis' cage and opened the front with a quiet 'click'. The large nocturnal reptile was out and about, climbing on the various branches and vegetation within the habitat. Tapping his head twice with the hook they removed him from the tank and placed him on the floor. They sat on the carpet and watched as the snake explored the room. It was good for him to get some exercise during the hours he was naturally active.

"What do you think Apophis?" They asked in a low voice, careful not to wake Acacia.

Apophis followed the walls of the room, tongue flicking playfully along the ground.

"Yeah… it's weird isn't it. I can't shake the feeling something's coming, something big." They picked at the stray yarn on their sweater. Carefully crocheting it into a chain with their fingers. "Guess I should probably get some sleep, can't be caught off guard when the shit hits the fan" they sighed.

They gave Apophis a few more minutes of roaming time before placing him back in his tank for the night. It was best to get him out as much as possible before he went into shed.

0

"MC look at this," Acacia beckoned while looking at her phone. MC trotted over to her, moving their headphones down around their neck to hear her.

"Wazzup?" 

"I've been keeping up with Earth news and I think something serious is going on." She showed MC her phone. Mammon catching interest and approaching as well.

The newsletter depicted graphic images of several bodies under the title "3 more people mysteriously killed by unknown threat."

"So what? There's another serial killer?"

"Wait wait." Mammon interjected. " _ Another  _ serial killer?"

"Yeah they show up on the news every few years and scare the crap out of everyone." Acacia waved him off.

"And that's just  _ normal? _ I was under the impression murder  _ disterbed _ you measly mortals."

"Yeah but it's not a serial killer, it's described as an 'animal attack'. And look" she opened one of the attached images. "Doesn't that look like MCs injuries?"

Mammon had to look away from the gruesome scene, remembering MC looking just like that.

MC blanched. "Wait... _ that's  _ what I looked like?" They looked fearfully to Acacia. They couldn't believe she'd had to see them like that. MC had always admired her strength, but this just reminded them of how much she could surprise them. "How the heck did I recover?"

"Devildom medical practice is something to  _ behold  _ sibling-o-mine. You've got no idea." She shook her head, "but back to the matter at hand, other people are being attacked by these locusts. Every news station goes on about it, the death toll is in the thousands already."

Mammon pulled out his DDD immediately, walking away to talk in private.

"That's not a good sign" MC said, watching him leave.

"Yeah" she agreed.

0

Lucifer was going to go grey at this rate. Michael threatens his MC and now Mammon calls him to tell him the locusts are running amok on Earth? He didn't know what was going on but whatever it was it was threatening the balance between the humans and demonic world.

Not only was this a threat to his MC, but it was a threat to any demon currently on Earth. The locusts could cause the humans to retaliate, and as weak as they are in numbers they can cause real havoc. United against a common threat…

He pulled out his DDD and looked through his contacts. He was in there somewhere, even though they hadn't spoken since the exchange program he still had his number.

There!

**Simon**

Hello Simon, I don't have time

for formal greetings. I need to 

discuss an urgent matter with you. 

Please get back to me as soon as 

possible.

Hey Lucifer, it's good to hear 

from you but this is kind of out of 

nowhere. What is it?

I need to know what Michael is 

doing

I have reason to believe he's 

meddling with the delicate balance

we've all lived in since the war.

I don't have any of the information

Michael does, you know I'm not on

His level. (>皿<)

It's not like he tells me anything

Don't try to fool me, I know

how Michael refuses to lie.

Don't ignore me Simon, I'm

asking you as a friend.

I need to know what's going on.

It's killing me

Answer me!

I can't talk now

Why in creation not?

Because I can't, all I can say

is be careful

What does that mean?

Simon?

Answer me Damn it!

Lucifer wanted to smash his DDD on the tile, but resisted the urge. He texted Diavolo to set up yet  _ another _ meeting and sat down at his desk.

Something bad was happening and he couldn't count on Simon's help. He couldn't count on  _ anyone's  _ help. Like usual.

He steepled his gloved fingers as he waited for a reply from the prince. No one knew how serious this was but him. No one could understand it like he could. He fought the last time this happened and he  _ failed. _ He had experience on the worst side of history and the thought of doing it all over again…

It scared him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	11. Chapter 11

"I am very happy you agree" Asmo cooed to the charmed man under his arm "though nothing can compare to the beauty of your smile hun."

The human giggled distractedly, Asmo didn't usually traverse the human world but this human had caught his eye and he just couldn't resist. 

He was all bright grins and kind words, his blue eyes piercing him when they made eye contact across the dimming park. Tan skin so flawless it could be compared to the finest of silks, his face framed by what seemed like miles of dark dreadlocks. Asmo could swear it was the human who'd charmed  _ him. _

He leaned close to the human's ear and he squirmed at the proximity. Goofy grin never wavering.

"I should take you back to my room and give you an even more wonderful reason to smile." He purred and the human blushed deeply.

It was then that the demon was assaulted by what felt like fire across his back.

Hissing like a snake he fell to the ground in pain. The confused man gasped at the sudden shift.

"Get away from him, devil!" A sharp voice shouted from behind them.

Turning and assessing the damage, Asmo caught a glimpse of the assailant. A short, round woman in a black tank-top and shorts held an almost empty bottle in one hand. Around her neck hung a cross.

"I saw you coerce this poor man, I know your tricks! Your kind have been attacking innocents all over the world. I for one won't stand for your temptation. In the name of the Lord be gone!" She shouted, waving the bottle threateningly.

Frightened by the sudden attack, back still raw and stinging from the touch of the holy water, Asmo fled the scene.

"Call me!" The man called fruitlessly behind him.

0

"Got any…eights?" Belphie asked the room.

"Go fish!" Acacia responded happily.

"This game suuuuucks! Let's go play Mario Kart!" Levi suggested.

Beel, Belphie, Acacia and MC all looked at him irritably. They'd been playing for a while and none of them were willing to admit defeat.

"Ok ok…" Levi read the room and hid behind his fanned out cards.

The game was suddenly interrupted by a very distraught Asmo bursting into the room.

"Aahaaa!" His cry was filled with pain as he fell to the floor amongst the card game.

##TW Burns##

"Oh my God Asmo!" MC yelled upon seeing his back.

His designer shirt was burnt through revealing red, blistered skin underneath. His chest heaved as he struggled to stand upright, but the stretch of his damaged back hurt to much, causing him to fall back to the floor with a gasp.

##end##

"Wh-what happened?!" Levi shrieked.

"Beel! help me get him to the bathroom" Belphie ordered, to the immediate compliance of his twin.

They both picked Asmo up off the floor and headed to the bathroom to wash off whatever caused the burn. MC and Acacia nervously followed. They sat him down on the side of the tub and used the detachable shower head to rinse off the affected area. This seemed to help.

"What happened?" MC tilted Asmo's face to theirs as they asked. He hiccupped and more tears ran down his face.

"H-holy water, look at my shirt! It's ruined!" He sobbed, voice tight. "My skin...my beautiful skin look at it."

"Who did this? Where were you?" MC pressed, but Asmo was inconsolable.

"Go get Lucifer!" Beel almost begged.

"And someone please get me some bandages." Belphie added.

Acacia reached for the first aid kit as MC ran to find the eldest brother.

0

"Lucifer!" The door opened with a bang. 

"Normally I expect you to  _ knock  _ MC y--"

"It's Asmo, he's hurt."

Lucifer's dimenor shifted frighteningly fast. He stood from his desk and was down the hallway before MC even knew he'd heard them. They followed quickly, having to sprint to keep up with him as he moved.

"He said it was holy water -huff- but he won't talk anymore!" They struggled to explain. Lucifer nodded regardless.

Entering the bathroom he knelt by Asmo and immediately started asking Belphie questions.

"Did he get it in his eyes or mouth?"

"I don't know"

"Where was he before this?"

"Earth I think"

Lucifer rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

"Asmodeus look at me" he commanded. But Asmo didn't seem mentally present. Lucifer tried to force his chin up but Asmo swatted him away with surprising force.

"MC order him to look at me"

MC hesitated for a moment, disturbed by the desperation in Lucifer's voice.

"Asmodeus  **look up** " they commanded reluctantly.

Asmo's head snapped up and Lucifer held it there. Carefully he examined his eyes, mouth, and the inside of his ears. Letting go Asmo tucked his chin to his chest again and wrapped his arms around his torso in a self-hug.

Lucifer relaxed a fraction. "There's no signs of infection...it's just an epidermal injury."

Beel and Belphie let out simultaneous sighs.

MC looked at the situation, searching for something they could do to help. They leaned towards Acacia and whispered to her.

"Go to our room and get the scar cream Asmo gave me, then go to his room and get him a change of clothes." 

Acacia nodded before leaving to run her errands. Beel and Belphie continued wrapping Asmo's injuries and trying to comfort him.

Lucifer left to make a phone call. There wasn't time to wait for Diavolo to text back, they had to meet now.

0

"And you're sure he was on Earth?" Diavolo pressed.

"Well you can't find anointed water in the Devildom." Lucifer spat back. His nerves were already frayed before but now his paranoia was on full display. Wide eyes shifting back and forth, seemingly searching for some unseen enemy.

"This is definitely bad" Diavolo sat down heavily in his chair. Head falling into his hands.

"We have to stop this, we should go to the Celestial realm and--"

"And get tossed right back down here for slinging accusations?" Diavolo finished coldly, running a hand through his auburn locks.

Lucifer swallowed the rest of his sentence, sitting down as well. There was a moment of incredibly tense silence that seemed to last forever.

"Diavolo...what do we do?" The question was quiet, desperate.

"Well let's look at the bright side" Lucifer rolled his eyes at that. "This definitely could've been bad but it  _ wasn't _ . Your brother's ok now, just a little burnt" he reasoned.

"Yes...for that I am grateful." Lucifer conceded. "But what if this happens again?"

"Well, all we can do now is hope for the best." Diavolo responded.

"Yes...and prepare for the worst." Lucifer added, receiving and approving nod from Diavolo. "The brothers will have to be confined to the house for their own safety, they're too frivolous with their Earthly visits." He planned quietly.

"Are you sure? Isn't house arrest a little drastic?" Diavolo argued, a note of concern in his voice.

"Asmodeus could have been  _ annihilated."  _ Lucifer hissed. "And he's one of my more sensible brothers. No I cannot allow any of them to put themselves in danger again."

Diavolo sighed, seeing arguing was pointless. 

"If that's what you think is best, my friend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	12. Chapter 12

House arrest was a nightmare, and it didn't go without protest. One look at Lucifer's face, however, and all arguments died on their tongues. It wasn't so bad, the house was big and they could still open windows and stuff. Levi didn't even notice anything had changed.

Lucifer still went to RAD every day to retrieve their assignments and attend to student council responsibilities. Outside of those circumstances he tried to stay indoors as well out of solidarity.

Meanwhile Acacias news app was spelling out only bad news as the days went by. The death toll finally crossed one million. People were so afraid of the demonic attacks they were turning to all sorts of religions for help. Mass prayers and saiances were being held. People accused of being satanists or witches were being arrested in the best cases.

Hunted down by neighbors in the worst.

It was grim, but the humans kept their spirits up as they lived out the long days locked in the house of Lamentation. The brothers were not doing quite as well.

Mixing rising tensions with close quarters and no means of escape was _not_ a good recipe. They were like feral dogs snapping at each other whenever they crossed each other's path. Beel and Belphie had the kitchen under lockdown, making sure they saw exactly what everyone took and how much. Levi's room was now without a door handle, 'can't get in if there's nothing to open the door with' was his logic.

Asmo was slowly healing from his attack, but he'd seemed to have fallen into a depression since the lockdown. He never left his room, hardly even got out of bed. He was always on his phone texting or calling someone. That or he was sleeping, but on his stomach to avoid aggravating his injury.

Satan had gone completely cold. He spoke to no one, looked at no one, and read like stopping would mean his death. They suspected he was stressed and angry as well, but he showed no outside signs. He showed no emotion at all.

Acacia and MC had escaped the terror on Earth by moving to the Devildom, but they'd also trapped themselves in a stress-fueled house of abject misery. MC often fiddled with the bow shaped earring they were given. Wondering if and when they would have to use it. They loved the brothers, they really did, but they knew all to well how unpredictable they could be under pressure.

They stuck close to Acacia at all times.

That is until they started to notice a change in the boys. 

"They were all so high strung before, now we hardly see them at all."

"Maybe they're finally relaxing?" Acacia suggested.

"I don't think so" MC confessed. "I think they just...gave up" 

Acacia glanced around the room. Breakfast had started a while ago and still they were the only ones there. She looked fearfully at their older sibling.

"MC...are we gonna die?"

"What? Of course not." They waved her off.

"But everythings so dangerous now, if the most powerful demons in the Devildom can't deal with it then what chance do we have?" Her voice got high with anxiety as she spoke.

"Hey hey stop that" they placated. "We've pulled through way worse than this, remember Mom?" 

"...yeah" Acacia flinched and MC instantly felt bad about using such a drastic example.

"All I'm saying is... we're not powerful demons like them. We're _human_. We were born to survive. We can make it through this, we always do." 

Acacia seemed comforted by MCs confidence. 

0

Simon was walking on a razors' edge. He knew what Michael was planning, and while it was a good plan, there was no good ending for the friends he'd made in the Devildom. Once upon a time he'd looked up to Lucifer as a superior and a friend. It was hard to truly accept they were on different sides.

He couldn't outright disobey Michael, but he could try and help in other ways. All he'd done up until now was healing some human victims and relaying false messages.

Now he was doing something drastic. He shivered as he waited for the man to arrive, the one he had to go to Earth to meet with. He wanted more than anything to go back and forget this had ever happened, but there were innocents on the line. MC and their sister lived in the Devildom now and no matter what his orders were he would not let them be caught in the crossfire. He couldn't.

"Hello birdie" a voice drawled from the shadows. 

"I am Simon, is that you...Abaddon?"

The man stepped into the light. Long black hair framed around a sickly grey face. Large orange eyes with rectangular pupils bore into the angel, sizing him up like a wolf would a wounded rabbit. 

"That I am, and you have word of my stolen plague?"

"Y-yes" he hoped his voice wouldn't shake but he could feel the evil radiating off the angel of the abyss. "They have been used to set in motion a plot, one I wish to stop."

"Ah that is a dangerous game you play birdie." He smiled from ear to ear. "Talk like that reveals a high confidence, and I think we all know how the _fall_ can be from such a stature." 

Simon shut his eyes and braced against the memory of an old friend. Fallen for a youthful mistake. His resolve only strengthened. 

"I accept the risk, will you help me?"

Abaddon narrowed his eyes at the angel, grin still in place.

"Alright." He spoke softly. From his head he took one of his horns, the appendage separating from his skull like pulling the leg off a cockroach. "Blow the narrow end and my plague will follow you. Blow the other and I will come. Be careful, if you show me any disloyalty my locusts will only leave bones of you."

"Okay" Simon shivered as he took the horn from the demon. "So I return them to you here?" He asked, but when he looked up the demon was nowhere in sight.

* * *

~Abaddon~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	13. Chapter 13

MC stood outside Lucifers door once again. After 2 straight days of not talking to them, he'd texted them to meet him in his room. They hadn't brought Acacia this time because they had a suspicion this wasn't going to end well. Stealing themself they knocked curtly. Three short raps.

"Come in" came the muffled reply.

Opening the door they found Lucifer waiting for them. He was well dressed and groomed as ever, but there was something tight about his expression. Something off kilter about the way he stood.

"You wanted to see me."

"Yes, MC I've noticed you and your sister have been unusually well informed about the affairs of Earth. How is that?"

They didn't answer right away. They knew he wasn't actually asking.

"You know how, please spare me your games and get to the point." They replied tiredly.

"Hmm" he narrowed his eyes. "Are you eager to leave? In a hurry to get away from me MC?" 

Ordinarily MC would look for excuses to spend  _ more  _ time with Lucifer, but they didn't like the road he'd been on lately. They didn't want to be in his room while he was like this.

"You're still avoiding what you actually want to say." They countered.

##TW possessive behavior##

"Fine." He replied shortly "since you seem awfully intent to cut this short. I want Acacia's phone. You were never permitted to have it and it is only spreading fear."

MC stood silent. They'd expected something like this but it was still sickening.

"You can't just take her phone away, she pays for it herself."

"I can do whatever I want so long as you live under my roof"

"Then we'll leave, this place is in ruins anyway." 

"No." He commanded a little too forcefully. "You will stay here where I can keep an eye on you."

MC took a deep breath to avoid making a retort. They assessed the man before them. His eyes were too wide for a normal conversation. His skin was so pale it was almost like paper, and the dark circles under his eyes indicated his lack of proper rest.

His gloved fingers tapped almost obsessively against his opposite arm.

"Lucifer...you can't keep us prisoner." They spoke calmly. "We need to rest and regroup to think about this properly."

"You must be confused MC, the only one who will be figuring this out is me. The rest of you are to stay out of trouble here in the house."

"But they're being  _ suffocated! _ I know it's dangerous and you're scared but we can't--"

" I WILL NOT LOSE ANYONE ELSE!!"

He was in full demonic form now. His hair fell into his face as he stared in wide eyed anger at MC. His fingers stretched like claws at his sides. "You are MINE to keep and you  _ will  _ do as I say."

He approached MC with supernatural speed. Wings spreading to make him look much larger. MC did not back up.

"I do as I think is right." They spoke calmly, they did not fear Lucifer no matter how big he tried to look. A peacock's feathers were only a display after all.

##end of TW##

His face turned cold and he stood up straight. Staring down his nose at the pitiful human before him. MC did not look away.

"Then leave," he said tightly.

"Luc--"

"I have no need for a disobedient pest. Take your sister and go." His voice was pure dismission, as if he'd only met MC that day and cared nothing for them.

They didn't argue, there was no point.

Spinning on their heel they left the room with their head held high.

Lucifer clutched the back of his sofa, his whole body trembling with rage. There was nothing he wouldn't give for that human, nothing he wouldn't do. He had offered them the world and his love and they'd refused him cold.

He didn't care, they were only human after all.

He moved back to his plans, trying to make sense of something. To gain control of  _ some  _ aspect of the situation. 

If the human did not want his guidance, his protection, then they could die out there with the other cattle for all he cared.

0

"I'm sorry." Acacia almost whispered as MC packed the rest of their essentials.

"For what?" They looked up, concerned.

"For making the wrong decision…" she pet Chester's head sadly.

MC thought for a moment. "Don't be sorry, you're not the one who chose wrong" they said firmly. Acacia believed them, they had never lied to her. "Ok let's get going" they said, tossing their sister a backpack.

She took it silently and slipped it on, still unbelieving that they actually had to go. That they lost all that could've been here in the Devildom. It had all moved so fast, where did it go?

They'd learned to travel light after all their moving. First from their moms house into foster-care. Then when MC turned 18 they both scraped together as much money as they could to put a down payment on a house. Because they never wanted to be uprooted again. Now here they were moving, Acacia wanted to cry.

MC took her hand and led her through the halls of what they'd hoped would be their last home. Their face was dark but they were gentle as they led their sister back out into the unknown.

0

Everything was in motion. Michael was sinfully proud of himself as he surveyed the good he'd done. As he stood atop the building in hell he looked up. Knowing above him the humans were drawn together in defence. Turning away from their sin in fear of their very lives. They were repenting as they should and retaliating against the demonic threat Micheal had opened their eyes to.

Below him the demons of this unholy world grew weak. Without the humans patronage their strength dwindled to pitiful crawls. Even the seven sins themselves had slowed to never leave their rooms much less their lamented home. Everything was set for heaven to reclaim the souls they'd lost in the war, to take over and welcome home the wayward criminals.

All he needed now was leverage.

He had his eye on a potentially perfect bargaining chip. The two humans traversed the dangerous land with their belongings on their backs. He had waited days for them to leave the house of Lamentation. Finally MC had shown themself to him.

Swooping silent as the wind he landed gracefully behind Lucifer's pet. Surely weakened from the humans rejection and with his precious human in jeopardy he'd relinquish himself with no issue.

Yes, Michael was very proud for he had done  _ well. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	14. Chapter 14

Simon stood upon the grassy hill and hesitated.

He held the horn by the point with his thumb and index finger, keeping it at arm's length like one would a dead insect. He had to "blow" it to summon the locusts, but he didn't want to put his mouth anywhere near it. It was greasy…

Though the thought made his skin crawl he knew in his heart he had to do it. He had to do whatever he could to stop this carnage and protect the innocent souls in the Devildom. He didn't care if they were on opposite sides, he was made to do good and that's what he would do.

Taking a deep breath, he swallowed his disgust and brought the demons appendage to his lips.

_Simon_

The sudden call broke his concentration just long enough to make him chicken out. He would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved.

_Yes Michael?_

_Come to me now. It has begun._

Simon dropped the horn to the grass. Begun? Already? But he thought he had more time. Maybe if he was quick he could still...no. He couldn't ignore an order from Michael, and it wouldn't do any good now that it had begun.

He was too late.

Plucking the horn from the dirt he tucked it into his satchel. He took off on white wings to find his commander.

0

Acacia banged frantically on the house door. Surely someone would answer, someone had to help them.

"Please! Open the door I need your help it's MC!!"

The angel had come out of nowhere, all he did was touch MCs temple and they were unconscious on the ground. Acacia screamed and fought when he tried to take them away, but he brushed her off and called her 'irrelevant'. Now she was alone in hell and her only family member was abducted and no one would help.

"Mammon! Beel! Lucifer! Anyone please!" She sobbed. "Please I'm sorry we upset you just help!!"

She pulled away from the door trying to hear a response, but none came. Kicking the ground with her boot she felt anger rise within her. 

They all claimed to care about MC but when the chips were down all of them were useless. They all just thought MC was a worthless human. Especially Lucifer.

No, she would not let this stand. They were her only chance of rescuing MC and she was going to _make them listen_.

Picking up the biggest stick she could carry she slammed the doorknob of the historic house. 

_Thunk!_

_Thunk!_

Almost…

_Thu-DUNK!_

With a pop the handle fell to the pavement. Acacia pushed the large door open and began her mission.

Down each hallway she banged the stick against the walls with all the force she had.

"Wakey wakey bastards!! Time to get up and haul ass!!!" She yelled with every inch of her lung capacity. Reeling back, she brought the branch down on Lucifers door with a sickening _crack!_

"YOU PLEDGED YOURSELF TO THEM!! UPHOLD YOUR OATH OR BECOME THE DIRT I WALK ON!!!" She roared to the closed door. Pure righteous fury overcoming her and fueling her tarrade.

Lucifer opened the door after several beats of silence. 

"You are not welcome here. _Go." His_ tone was venomous but his posture was uncharacteristically slumped. He leaned against the door frame and looked as though he wanted to collapse at any moment. 

Acacia flinched at the words, but the memory of MC lying lifeless in their captors arms made her hold strong. MC would not run from Lucifer and neither would she.

"MC has been kidnapped by an angel. You are the one they trusted and you will Get. Them. Back." She gritted through her teeth.

Lucifer somehow got paler. Not afraid of the human but what she said.

Seeming to regain his energy he straightened up and strode quickly down the hall. 

"Mammon!" He called, flinging open the offending demons door. "I need you."

Mammon was lying on the floor, the lights in his room were off. He narrowed his eyes against the light from the doorway and hissed. After his eyes adjusted he cleared his throat to reply.

"Ask someone else" he rasped. "I can't get up."

"You're my second in command, there's no one else I can trust." Lucifer pressed.

"I _tried_ Lucifer. I wanted to when I heard her banging on the door. But I can't even roll over…" he sounded pathetic, obviously embarrassed at his situation. "Greed is one of the easier sins to give up... I'm useless to you now." He closed his eyes at the admission.

Lucifer flexed his hands trying to think of something. Acacia grew impatient.

"We don't have _time_ for this, who knows where they are now?"

"I am not doing this for them I am doing it for the good of the Devildom" he spat. "If angels are here th--" he was cut off by Satan practically sprinting down the hallway. 

"Lucifer! MCs in trouble and no one can move cause humans are giving up sinning!" He raced through his words. He then turned to Acacia and practically vibrated. "I was stuck on the bathroom floor for hours but now I can't sit still! I think it's your rage!" 

"Come on then we haven't much time!" Lucifer started towards the door.

0

Diavolo sat calmly on his throne. The sword-tip pressed to his throat apparently not bothering him. The Angel on the other end of it, however, was grinning ear to ear.

"You're so sure your loyal servant will rescue you?" Michael asked almost teasingly.

"Yes I have no doubt." The prince responded as jovially as if he'd just been having tea with the threatening angel.

Michael tapped his sword against the underside of Diavolo's chin. "And what of that one?" He gestured to Barbatos. The butler stood unmoving and at attention beside his master's throne.

"He won't go anywhere unless I order him to," Diavolo answered.

"Well if he moves, my angels will subdue him" he gestured to the group of high-ranked angel guards surrounding them. Simon was among them.

It was then that they were interrupted by sudden guests.

"Where are they!" Acacia roared as she stomped into the room, still wielding her branch. She was closely followed by a wide-eyed and frankly pissed-looking Satan. As well as a tired but composed Lucifer. Both in full demonic form.

Michael looked over his shoulders at the guests he'd been expecting.

"Ah, Lucifer, how nice to see you again" Michael greeted warmly. "How has the life of an ungrateful traitor been treating you?"

"Step away from the prince Michael." Lucifer's tone was deceptively quiet.

"Come now, Helel, not even a hello?" He mocked being hurt. "Very well, but only because we have history." He lowered his sword and sheathed it, stepping away from Diavolo's throne.

Lucifer didn't let his guard fall, why had Michael complied?

"Why are you here Michael?" Satan snarled.

"Who cares! Where's MC?" Acacia repeated her earlier question.

"I'm here to bring you home, dear!" Michael chirped sweetly, completely ignoring the humans question.

"I'm not going anywhere" Lucifer's voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper.

"Oh yes you are! You see I hold all the cards." His eyes creased with his smile. "As soon as the Devildom falls you are all free to return to live under our heavenly father, just as you were intended!"

"'Free' isn't a word he knows. Nothing could force me back there." Lucifer spat and Satan nodded in vigorous agreement.

"Oh that's a shame…" Michael sighed, "I suppose sacrifices must be made for the sake of the greater good. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do this but I _will_ sacrifice them to bring you home."

Swiping a white wing across the floor he revealed MCs unconscious body at his feet.

* * *

~Michael~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	15. Chapter 15

Lucifer blanched at the lifeless human.

His gut twisted at the sight of them splayed out at the feet of the enemy. Their normally defiant brow and mirthful smirk were softened to complacence by the artificial sleep.

He blinked to make sure he was actually seeing them there, lack of sleep had caused him to start hallucinating after all. But even after multiple checks there they were. Their commanding, self-assured presence was gone and they looked smaller than he'd ever seen them. 

They looked wrong.

"You harm them and I will send you back where you came from in  _ pieces"  _ he warned. Satan growled in agreement next to him.

Acacia fixed him with a stare that he saw out of the corner of his eye. It simply screamed 'I thought you didn't care'.

He didn't, but they were his responsibility and he couldn't let Michael tarnish his reputation.

The angel unsheathed his sword once more and held it against the sleeping humans fragile skin. Lucifer felt his stomach drop into his shoes at the sight. 

" _ No! _ "

Acacia's scream broke the delicate tension, and before he even knew what he was doing he was bolting towards the angel threatening his human.

Michael simply waved his hand and 6 angel guards rushed Lucifer. He took down four before the last two subdued him. Normally he could take down 1000 before giving up but he was weakened by months of stress and no sleep. Not to mention the lack of human sin weakening the entire Devildom. Michael looked down at where the Avatar of Pride was forced to his knees. 

He'd planned this well.

Out of the corner of his eye Lucifer saw Satan locked in desperate combat with Simon. The angel seemed hesitant to fight him but he held his own none the less. 

"I'm going to give you a choice." Michaels voice drew his attention once again, but he wasn't talking to Lucifer. "Give up that throne now and I'll spare their life."

"Oh no that won't be necessary." Diavolo raised a hand. "I won't give up my seat for anyone much less that human." He chuckled.

The hair on Lucifer's arms stood up as he processed what Diavolo had said.

"You'll let the exchange student die?" Michael questioned.

"There are plenty more humans, what's one?"

Lucifer prayed Diavolo was bluffing...but it was unlikely.

"Very well," Micheal shrugged and raised his sword. Acacia watched in silence, unable to make a sound. 

"Do not worry little lamb," Michael spoke soothingly to the unconscious MC. "I am sending you somewhere far better," he brought his sword down.

" Stop "

The angel stopped his slice just before it severed the human's head. He looked up to the demon who had spoken, a smirk on his face.

"If you let them die" Lucifer addressed Diavolo from his kneeled position. "You will lose my loyalty forever."

The prince made eye contact with his trusted advisor. They had a silent battle as they stared.

"Lucifer...you swore yourself to me and only me. Are you saying you'd betray me after everything I've done for you? For your family?"

"Yes" was his simple reply.

Diavolo looked at the sleeping human, then to Michael threatening to dethrone him. Then finally back to Lucifer.

"Well my loyalty it to my kingdom, and one human will not change that--"

"Michael" Lucifer immediately switched gears. "You already have the Devildom in the palm of your hand, there is no need for innocent blood."

"Yes but I don't just want the Devildom Lucifer, I want you to say you'll return home with me." He practically whined. "Say you will and the human lives."

Lucifer stared at the floor. He could feel Acacia glaring daggers into the back of his head. Satan stared at him as well from where his face was pinned to the floor by Simon. His strength gone now that Acacia's wrath had been replaced by fear.

Looking up he saw MC once more, but there was something different. He couldn't quite place it until he realized what the difference was. His skin turned to ice.

Their eyes were open.

They stared at him from their place on the floor. Wide eyes conveying a fear so animalistic he almost choked. They had woken up amongst this mess and had the presence of mind not to move, but the only sight they had was of the most powerful person they knew kneeling at the mercy of an unknown assailant. He felt a deep feeling he didn't understand, one of admiration for the sheer courage MC seemed to possess.

He raised his eyes back to Michael as not to draw attention to them. Clearing his throat he tried to remember what they'd been talking about.

"Let MC live...and I will return with you." He lied. Michael didn't move. Lucifer knew it would take more drastic measures to convince him. Swallowing the disgust that rose in his throat he decided...he was already on his knees. "Please." He said softly.

Michael stared at him for a moment longer before sheathing his sword.

Lucifer had one shot, and he hoped MC would understand what he needed of them. The angels let him stand and Acacia came up beside him to make sure MC was alright. Carefully he looked at MC, then to Acacia, and finally to the window behind Diavolo's throne, then back to MC. 

MC stared back at him, understanding written on their features.

In one smooth motion Lucifer knocked Michael off his feet with one of his large black wings and instantly changed direction. MC was on their feet, grabbing Acacia's hand and bolting for the window.

Lucifer made a mad-dash for Satan, flinging his younger brother over his shoulder and heading for the window as well. Angels all around them scrambled after the humans but they were too quick, breaking the glass pane and falling to the ground 2 stories below. Lucifer ducked under and angels swinging swords and kept running. Michael blocked his path, sword at the ready.

Opening his jet black wings, Lucifer caught a breeze from the broken window and soared high over Michael's head. He flung himself and his weakened brother outside without a second thought.

Micheal let out a screech like a bird of prey and threw his head out the window, looking for the escapees. But they had gone, hidden somewhere in the Devildom foliage below. 

They had the home field advantage, he'd never find them in the town.

Turning around he ordered three of his men to keep Diavolo and the butler in check and the rest to search the land, they complied quickly. All but one.

"Simon, a word."

Simon stepped sheepishly closer to his supervisor.

"Yes?"

"You were to keep Lucifer's brother on the ground, yet you didn't. I know you did it on purpose." He scolded. Simon lowered his head in shame. "Don't worry child, I'm not angry. I'm sure you bonded with these sinners while you were in that silly program, it's only natural." He placed a hand on Simon's dark hair.

Simon nodded solemnly.

"You must understand we are doing this so they may come  _ home _ , don't you want them to come home?"

Simon nodded vigorously.

"Of course you do, you have a good heart Simon. So I want to see no more of this disobedience, it's for their own good."

"For their own good" he repeated. "Thank you"

Michael dismissed Simon to go drink from the holy water before turning back to Lord Diavolo, still captive on his throne.

"Your kingdom is mine now young man, but I'm afraid there is no salvation for you."

Diavolo stared at his hands. He had no reason to fight back, he'd lost his kingdom and his best friend. His heart sank at the thought of the cost he'd suffered for his callous words. Truly he'd underestimated how much Lucifer cared for their pet human.

Michael raised his sword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	16. Chapter 16

Lucifer opened the broken front door with a bang.

"Boys!"

No answer.

"They're probably still too weak to move" Acacia suggested.

"What?" MC was surprised but still going along with it.

"The boys are really weak cause the humans are giving up sinning out of fear."

"Then how come  _ you're _ still standing?" MC gestured to Lucifer.

"Naturally, as the oldest I am the strongest and can withstand much more than my brothers." He shifted Satan's weight over his shoulder as he spoke, not looking at MC.

"Or maybe pride's just a worse sin that's harder to give up." MC said coldly. Lucifer didn't respond. "The angels will find us here in no time, we have to get your brothers up."

"Yeah but we can't move 6 full grown men all by ourselves!" Acacia argued.

"I'm not leaving my brothers here, we'll just have to think of something."

Their spat was interrupted by someone approaching behind them. Lucifer spun around, claws bared and ready to fight. MC stretched an arm protectively in front of Acacia and summoned the bow from it's earring form. It glowed brightly and appeared in their hand, though it didn't look a whole lot like a bow.

It looked an awful lot like a 9mm pistol.

Staring down the barrel of the gun they scrutinized the intruder. Even across the large room they recognized the pristine white shawl and dark hair.

"I thought you were our friend Simon, what are you doing here?" They snarled.

Simon simply stared, he asked very carefully. "Is that…?"

MC kept the gun on Simon as Lucifer caught their eye. He was no longer threatening the intruder in favor of staring at the weapon MC had summoned.

"MC...where did you get that?"

"Does that really matter? Simon! Answer me!" They deflected.

"Yes it does matter! That is a Celestial weapon and--"

"That is my  _ sister's weapon!"  _ Lucifer snarled.

"She gave it to me ok I'll tell you about it later!" MC yelled, baffled that this is what they were choosing to focus on. Lucifer stewed for a moment before training his attention back on Simon.

"You'd better leave before I tear your wings from your shoulder blades." He articulated. Simon raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"I'm here to apologise" he said sadly, "I really did want to stop this but I can't disobey Michael and I didn't get the locusts in time and…" he trailed off.

Lucifer seemed to relax, he cringed remembering how he used to follow orders like that.

"But look!" Simon took a horn out of his satchel and held it up with both hands. "I called the locusts away from Earth, you and your brothers should have enough strength to leave and lay low for a while." 

No one said anything for a moment before Acacia chimed in.

"Well that solves that." She turned to head down the hall and wake the brothers. 

Lucifer set Satan down on his feet and lightly slapped his face to wake him. MC kept their weapon on the angel who betrayed them, just for a moment more. Then they slowly lowered it to point at the ground. Sensing it was no longer needed it turned back into an earring and returned to its place.

Simon carefully put the horn back in his satchel and looked pleadingly at MC. "I really am sorry, I never wanted you or your sister to get mixed up in this."

"Yeah? What about them?" MC gestured to the quiet house. "They were your friends too."

Simon just looked at the ground. "Please understand it's for their own good."

Lucifer scoffed but said nothing.

MC thought about Simon, his job and his beliefs. Of course he only meant the best with his actions. He couldn't understand why the brothers could be hurt by going back.

"Ok" they said simply.

"You forgive me?"

"Yeah, I do, but I'm not whose forgiveness you should be looking for." With that MC turned to join Acacia. They didn't have much time.

0

Watching from the alleys and streets of the greater Devildom, the brothers saw the angels invade their home. They only had what they could carry, which wasn't a lot given their dwindling strength and that some had to carry each other.

MC and Acacia checked bags making sure the essentials were there. Apophis sat on MCs shoulders, his enclosure had to be left in the house. Chester snuffled at Belphegor where he leaned heavily on Beel. Levi sat on the sidewalk trying not to cry, Henry 2.0s travel bowl in his lap.

Spirits were low as they took in the reality, their home was gone, they couldn't stay in the Devildom or they'd be found. The only thing they could do was return to the Celestial realm with Michael.

Who knows what punishments awaited them for their crimes. Not just during the war, but the millions of years of sin that came after the war. There was a chance he'd take them all apart and start over. Lucifer shuddered at the thought of crawling back to his creator, only to be told he had to be redone to make him better. To make him the angel his father wanted.

Lucifer was tired. He was so tired after months of almost no sleep and constant building stress. He was tired after the emotional turmoil he'd been through in such a short period of time. He sat on the pavement amongst the brothers that counted on him and he hung his head. He was so exhausted so utterly worn out and now he still faced his biggest challenge yet. 

How to fix this.

How could he possibly save his family from returning to their life of oppression? How could he somehow make this better and pull everyone through this? The sad fact was that he couldn't. He couldn't do it, he was too tired and he had  _ failed _ . Sitting on the ground without a home or an ally…

He wept. 

So softly no one noticed at first, he couldn't control it as every single thing he'd worried about came to fruition. It felt awful, so much worse than he'd imagined it would. He wept almost silently on the ground like a child, and he felt the worst he'd ever felt in his life.

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Drying his tears quickly on his glove he glared daggers at whoever dared touch him in his moment of weakness. MC didn't look at him as they sat beside him, one hand on his shoulder. They didn't mention his state, and he was grateful because it let him pretend that perhaps they hadn't noticed. They let him collect himself before they spoke.

"You and your brothers will come with us back to earth."

He was silent as he rolled the words around in his head. Testing their weight and trying to decide what they meant. But they just sounded garbled to him, like static, meaningless.

They stood from their spot next to him and started speaking to Simon, but he didn't listen. He was too tired.

Some time later Simon knelt in front of him. He said something Lucifer was too tired to hear before helping him to his feet.

The angel placed a hand to the side of Lucifer's face, and everything went mercifully black.

0

"You're sure he won't wake up?" MC spoke softly to the angel.

"Yes...he's so exhausted it's unsafe to change him while he's awake. He'll sleep for a few days at least" was Simon's forlorn response.

Mammon was visibly shaking from what they were going to do. He took MCs hand in his for support. "Do we  _ have  _ to be human?" He almost pleaded.

"Yes," Simon said quietly, "only humans may inhabit the Earth. If you are to seek shelter there you must undergo the change."

Mammon swallowed heavily, but nodded.

"Don't worry Mammoney, it's not that bad" Acacia tried to comfort him. He smiled a little at her antics.

"Ok" MC announced "everyone ready?"

There were murmurs of reluctant agreement amongst the group. What other choice did they have?

Simon went from brother to brother. None of them really noticed a difference, but they were all shaken nonetheless. 

"This is all I can help you with MC, this and my silence. The rest is up to you."

"Thank you Simon. We won't forget this." They said sincerely.

"Godspeed, little lamb" was his last reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short hiatus. I got sick over the weekend but we are back and swinging with chapter 17. 
> 
> Earth.

_ This is for your own good, Lucifer. _

Lucifer sat up so fast he got whiplash from the force. Groaning he rubbed his neck, immediately feeling like shit. He felt the ground under him, cold and unyielding. He had fallen asleep on the ground? His skin felt dryer than normal. There was dirt in his hair, his eyes, under his nails, he felt disgusting. The sun filtered through the clouds and burned red behind his closed eyelids. This did nothing to quell his pounding headache.

Wait...the sun?

0

Mammon had been a huge help these past couple of days. MC had been distraught when Simon had dropped them on the other side of the country from their house. There was no way to get there on foot and they had 7 tired, lost, depressed demon brothers to care for. 

Well...they couldn't be called demons anymore.

Luckily the weather was warm from the approaching summer, so Mammon helped scavenge for things to make camp since they were effectively homeless. Unsurprisingly he was good at it given all the experience he had in petty theft. He spoke to local humans and learned the lay of the area, he kept tabs on his brothers, he even kept their spirits up through jokes and his generally light hearted nature.

Truly Mammon had taken on a lot since Lucifer had been asleep, and he'd done it well. 

The others weren't as thrilled about the homeless rat lifestyle. Some did better than others, Beel was happy after they'd raided the stale baguettes from the dumpster behind the bakery. Belphie was content to take 2 blankets and just nap on Beel. They were the easiest ones. 

Satan hadn't said out loud how miserable he was but it was pretty obvious. He spent a lot of time trying to help Mammon or Acacia, just trying to feel useful. Overall he was just bored and a little irritated that Lucifer got to sleep through it and he didn't.

"I'm alright," he dismissed any questions. "At least no one will look for us here."

Asmo took to the earth surprisingly well. He would spend many hours walking around town and hitting on the locals, having them pay for stuff. He marveled at how abundant mud was on this quaint planet, and used it often for relaxation and his still healing burn. He was upset he couldn't bring all his clothes and accessories but that just gave him an excuse to walk around camp nude, much to the distress of the others.

Levi took it the hardest.

"It's too bright and I've never been outside this looong!" He wailed. "All my collectables are still back home and I can't find anywhere that's air-conditioned!"

"Ah shut it Levi, at least we're not in the Celestial realm alright!" Mammon scolded him. "You just gotta be thankful for what we've got."

"You sound like Lucifer…" Levi countered under his breath.

"Hey you take that back!"

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty." Acacias snark cut them both off. "I know it's hot and dirty and we're all irritated but we just gotta stick with it until we can find a place to stay." With that she stomped away to talk to MC.

"How long do you think we'll have to live  _ outside?"  _ She asked quietly.

"Well we'll have to rent a car to get home, and even then I don't think our house can accommodate everyone…" they trailed off.

"Maybe this was a bad idea."

"This was the  _ only  _ idea. And Earth is our home so it's our responsibility to make sure the boys are safe here." They said firmly.

Acacia nodded. She and MC had only ever looked out for each other, but now they had a family to protect. They were not about to fail them.

"I think you can rent cars online, wanna borrow my phone?"

"Yeah." They smiled a little. "That'd be a big help, thanks Acacia." She handed MC her phone and trotted off to tell Mammon the plans going forward.

MC unlocked the screen and started with Google maps, maybe somewhere nearby would…

Their attention was drawn by sudden movement out of the corner of their eye.

Lucifer had woken up.

0

"Boys!" He yelled immediately. Last thing he remembered they had been in terrible danger. Instead of a response he saw MC approaching where he laid. "Where are they?" He practically yelled.

"They're all present and accounted for Lucifer, we're hiding out on Earth until the search for you guys dies down." Their calming tone made him relax a little.

"We're on Earth?" He questioned.

"Yeah...you were  _ really  _ tired." They chuckled. Suddenly he was stressed again.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"2 days."

"2 days?!! As in 48 hours?! What about--"

"Relax," MC pushed him back onto the ground with a firm hand on his solar plexus. "Mammon's been helping us get our bearings while we plan our next step. You just need to rest." Lucifer was indignant for a moment.

"And I am to sleep on the  _ ground? _ " He narrowed his eyes.

"Hey you've got a blanket, that's better than I've got." They shrugged before walking off and leaving him to stew.

Lucifer looked to the ground and saw he was, in fact, lying on a flannel blanket. This did nothing to quell his rising embarrassment that he'd fallen asleep in the first place.

Getting to his feet he found his vision was blurry and slightly turning. Nothing more than the sleepless-hallucinations he told himself. That is until he felt his body tilting as well. Pure distress flashed through him as he realized he wasn't going to catch himself in time, he hit the ground with a dull thud.

"Hah!" He heard a familiar voice call mockingly. "That by itself was worth coming here."

Opening his eyes he saw a sideways Satan sitting a few yards away snickering at him. He paid his brother no mind as he tried to stand again, this time finding he couldn't even manage to sit up.

"Stay down old man! Before you break a hip." Satan laughed at himself as if he'd told the funniest joke in the world. Lucifer instinctively rolled his eyes and immediately regretted his decision as the whole world rolled as well. 

The ground was cold, and he felt despair creeping in as he realized he couldn't move back to his blanket on his own. He laid in silent humiliation for a few minutes before he was rolled over onto the blanket by Satan.

"You know I knew this would happen one day." He chided. "But you just kept pushing and pushing… is it cause you didn't trust us?"

Lucifer didn't have the energy to answer.

"Or maybe you're just a control freak who panics if anything goes wrong." He shook his head. "Whatever, you're human now so you need to rest...sleep tight for once jerk." He said playfully before walking away. Lucifer's head swam as he laid on the ground. 

Did Satan say...human?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	18. Chapter 18

Lucifer was still dizzy, but now he could manage being awake for a few hours at a time. He wasn't a fan of this whole "needing rest" business and honestly he didn't know how Belphie didn't go insane. He stared out the window as the van rumbled along the seemingly endless stretch of road.

36 hours to go.

0

MC drives like an absolute maniac, it turns out. They drove down the yellow line in the center of the road, didn't even bother to look at speed limits, and straight up cut through people's lawns at times. Everyone had had enough when they took a sharp turn at nearly 80 mph while yelling at the top of their lungs.

Satan drove after that.

"Yeah I should  _ never  _ drive." They admitted as they sat down between Asmo and Acacia. "It's like I'm a different person behind the wheel and all I know is "fuck the system, I wanna hit a stop sign." Acacia giggled and Mammon let out a loud "Hell Yeah!"

Satan did ok until he hit the highway, that's when he revealed he'd never actually driven before.

"What? Why'd you take the wheel then?"

"Because anything is better than your suicidal thrill seeking." He reasoned

"Well can anyone else drive?" There were murmer's of no's around the car and MC rubbed their temples in irritation.

"I know how," Lucifer said bitterly.

"Yeah but you're not fit right now" Asmo responded as gently as he could.

"Yes" he had to agree as just looking out the window was giving him a headache.

In the end MC had to verbally walk Satan through highway etiquette and safety. They were a much better backseat driver than a driver.

0

The car had been silent for a while, almost painfully so. There was only one thing to really occupy their minds and that was the events of the last few weeks. It wasn't a fun silence. 

Acacia was the one who came up with the idea. Her eyes caught a light blue PT cruiser parked at a kwik fill as they drove past. Punching MC as hard as she could in the arm she yelled 

"Cruiser bruiser, blue! No punch backs." MC winced from the sudden assault before they too noticed the car.

"Oh it's gonna be like that is it?" They smirked and then the game was on.

Woody wack's for station wagons; punch bugs for buggies; Rams, Dodges, juice, no car was safe from an excuse to have a fist fight. The brothers caught on to the game quickly and soon there were raucous shouts of car models and fists flying between the rows of seats.

Mammon would just make up cars even though he didn't see them. Asmo would hit the hardest but complain the most when he got hit. Levi would continuously moan "I'm not playingggg" when someone tried to hit him. Satan claimed to have drivers immunity but still would hit others. Belphie completely ignored the "no punch backs" rule, and poor Beel never actually figured out how the game worked so he just got pummeled.

Then Beel figured it out.

"Hah! Punch-bug yellow!" he called gleefully as he punched Lucifer right in the arm.

The car went silent as Lucifer gave Beel a look as if he'd actually murder him. Then, without changing expression, he jabbed Beel so hard in the back of the neck that the poor guy folded in half.

"You didn't say 'no punch backs'" he grumbled, turning to resume his glaring out the window.

0

"Oh come on!" Levi shouted from his spot in the passenger seat. "You just need to make it to that smudge" he urged.

But the raindrop on the windshield didn't budge.

"Give it up" Satan said darkly. "Your puny drop was a lost cause from the time mine got that speed boost from merging with MCs" he laughed an over-the-top maniacal laugh. 

"That's not fair, you can't team up!"

"Friendship is magic, Levi." MC called nonchalauntly from the seat behind them. "Get with the times."

Levi muttered something under his breath.

"What was that, loser?" Satan mocked.

"I said  _ rematch _ " Levi spoke very seriously.

"You're on. I call that one!"

"I call-- ah man!" Levi slumped in his seat. "Fine, that one then."

The race was on. Satan's drop held a steady lead down the majority of the windshield. Hardly wobbling as it streamed steadily down even the driest parts of the window. Levi seemed to be at a huge disadvantage as his drop moved a few centimeters at a time before stopping and faltering. The tension rose as Satan's drop started to lose momentum near the end. Levi's started to pick up speed, a few drops boosting it along the way.

It was neck and neck, such a bad start but it looked like Levi's was gonna pull a comeback! 

MC was on the edge of their seat as the battle of ages waged before their very eyes. Satan's drop stopped! Just before the finish it halted entirely! Now all Levi's drop had to do was make it to the finish. It was so close they could almost taste it!

Suddenly a rogue windshield wiper swept through the battlefield, taking both drops to their fate and leaving dry clean windshield in its wake.

"Guess we'll never know" Satan shrugged as he flicked the windshield wipers off again.

"GODDAMNIT SATAN!!!" Levi practically screeched, but Satan just laughed at his anger.

0

"Come  _ on  _ Beel, this is your 4th bathroom break already!" Levi called from the van. Beel came back and hopped in, climbing over Asmo and MC to get to his assigned seat in the back. 

"Sorry! Human bodies don't hold food and drink like demons." He blushed.

"TMI Beel" Satan wrinkled his nose as he stepped on the gas. "Why aren't we moving?"

"You have to put it in gear" MC said patiently.

"Right, I knew that." Satan blushed as he put the car I'm gear and backed out of the gas station parking lot.

_ Skreeeeech! _

Everyone in the car winced at the sound. Putting it back into park, Satan instructed Asmo to hop out and see what happened.

"Good news!" He yelled. "We're ok! It's just the  _ other  _ car that's damaged." He hopped back in.

"Great" Satan sighed as he continued driving away.

"Wah! Awahawa!  _ Guys!  _ That's a hit and run!" Acacia shook MC as she spoke.

"So?" Satan peered at her through the rearview mirror.

"So? So that's illegal!"

"So's driving without a license." He countered.

"And living in the United States without a birth certificate or visa." MC deadpanned.

"Oh shit!" She realized "you guys are illegal aliens!" The car was silent for a minute. "Well now I just feel stupid"

"You're not stupid Acacia," Beel put a large hand on her shoulder from the back seat.

"Thanks Beel." 

"Either way it's best we avoid any human authorities." Satan confirmed, there were nods and soft murmer's of agreement around the car.

"Heh heh"

"What now?" Levi snapped.

"Heh... we're criminals." She elbowed MC.

"Oh yeah we're bad, don't fuck with us." They agreed sarcastically. "We live outside the normal order."

"Yeah I ripped a tag off a mattress once." She laughed.

"I pirate all my music." MC countered.

"I'm going 5 mph above the speed limit right now." Satan added.

"I commit felony tax fraud!" Mammon yelled from the trunk.

The car went silent at that.

"What?"

0

When they stopped to rest for the night there were 26 hours left to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	19. Chapter 19

Everyone piled back into the van, taking the same seats they'd had the day before out of familiarity. There were some notable changes though.

Lucifer felt much better after his third day of solid sleep, so he happily took the role of driver. Satan didn't want to take Lucifer's seat next to Beel and Belphie in the far back. For reasons he made very clear.

"I don't want to have to sit in front of  _ Mammon _ . He'll pickpocket me or something." He glared back at the offending brother.

"Well maybe if I didn't have to ride in the  _ trunk _ we wouldn't be arguing!" He countered.

"Sorry, there's nine of us and only eight seats. Someone's gotta sit in the trunk." Beel shrugged.

"I'll do it!" Acacia volunteered enthusiastically.

"No hey hey NO! I sit in the trunk, alright?  _ me _ ." He punctuated his statement by taking a defensive stance.

"Well ok then weirdo." She crossed her arms.

"Hey what about me?" Satan spoke up. "I still don't want to sit in front of Mammon."

"Suffer." Lucifer hissed before he started the car, effectively ending the discussion.

They drove in silence once again, broken periodically by tomfoolery and shenanigans.

0

Utter confusion lined the brothers faces as they stared at the small house.

"Where's the rest of it?" Mammon asked rudely, earning him a solid slap on the back of the head by Lucifer.

"This is your house..?" Satan eyed the humans suspiciously.

"Give me one good motive I could have to trick you." Was MC's cold response.

Satan shut up.

"Can't we...find somewhere else?" Levi asked cautiously.

"Nope, this is it." Acacia said, popping the 'P' in the word 'Nope'.

"This is the only piece of earth we own, it's here or outside again." MC shrugged.

The brothers looked at each other in silent agreement to  _ never _ sleep outside again.

"Well it's only temporary." Lucifer reasoned. "And it's actually pretty cozy from what I've seen" he looked expectantly at MC.

"Hm" was their only response.

What was their problem?

"Well...I call the tub" Levi grumbled.

"Knock yourself out man." Acacia giggled making the nerd blush as they headed inside.

0

Unsurprisingly, Beel ate them out of house and home in a matter of hours.

"Wow, it took you awhile to clean out the kitchen, usually you'd go through that in seconds." Belphie teased from the couch he'd claimed.

"Well humans..-burp- can't unhinge their jaws without it really hurting." He rubbed his cheek, probably speaking from experience. "Oh…" he groaned a little as he sat down with Belphie.

"Something wrong big guy?" Acacia called from her spot on her beanbag.

"I...hurt." he hunched over as he spoke, there was a loud gurgling noise.

"You're  _ still _ hungry?" She asked wide-eyed.

"No…" Another gurgle.

That answer was even more concerning.

"Maybe you're sick?" Belphie suggested.

"Maybe…" he agreed.

"Or maybe you ate too much?" Acacia put a finger to her temple and eyed Beel mischievously.

"Don't be ridiculous, I've never even seen Beel truly  _ full."  _ Belphie rolled his eyes. Beel took a big breath. Acacia just got up from her bag and went to the other room. She returned a few minutes later with a small red bottle and a spoon. Carefully pouring the liquid from the bottle into the spoon she offered it to Beel.

"Try this." She smiled.

Beel shook his head.

"Come on, it'll make you feel better."

Beel eyed the spoon with the mystery-liquid for a second before deciding he could trust Acacia. Taking the spoon from her he downed the liquid in one gulp. It was  _ disgusting  _ and he almost regretted swallowing it until a few minutes passed. The nausea and pain ebbed and he felt himself relax.

"What was that?" He smiled brightly.

"It's nausea relief, it helps with discomfort and sickness due to overeating." She said simply.

Beel sat for a while just thinking. He watched Acacia return to the bathroom to put the bottle away. He watched Levi immediately steal her bean bag and place at the PlayStation. He watched Belphie start to dose on his shoulder. As he watched he realized something.

He wasn't hungry.

Was this how normal people felt?  _ All the time??? _

There was no gnawing in his gut, he wasn't constantly sniffing the air to see if anyone was cooking, he was just content and happy. He was in the smallest house he'd ever lived in, and he was disgraced and left to hide like a fugitive. But he was indoors for the first time in days, and he was warm and comfortable and everyone he loved was there with him.

"What are you high?" MCs voice caught his attention. They'd come down from their room while he was stuck in thought.

"What?"

"You're grinning like a doofus." They clarified. "Seriously how does your face not hurt?" Levi and Belphie looked at Beel.

"Yeah...you  _ are _ really smilly." Levi narrowed his eyes.

"I'm just thinking about how lucky I am." Beel said brightly, a large grin still spread across his cheeks.

"Ok weirdo."

0

Belphie couldn't sleep.

He'd taken the floor out of courtesy since he could fall asleep practically anywhere, but he sorely regretted the decision now as he tossed and turned.

Was lying down always this  _ horizontal? _

The ground had absolutely no forgiveness for his pressure points, and the pillow he had wasn't nearly elevated enough. He rolled one more time onto his back, but his foot continued to fall asleep no matter what he did. If only he could follow it. Finally he resigned himself to doing the one thing he never thought he'd do in the middle of perfectly good sleep-time. 

He got up.

Tiptoeing through the living room he was careful to step over asmo sleeping fitfully on the beanbag. He thought about using the bathroom but decided to hold it when he remembered Levi's choice of bed. Maybe he should just piss outside like an animal, it would be fitting for a life on earth.

Earth, how could a place he once loved so much feel like such a prison to him now? And he knew all too well what it was to be a prisoner. Had he ever really left the attic? It was all a bit of a blur, he knew it was around the time where the two timelines had merged leaving him with two separate memories of the event. One of him escaping and... taking out his frustration on MC. The other of him still being a prisoner under Diavolo. That must have been what the other Belphegor had gone through, but it blended together as if both memories were his own.

He shook his head as he stared at the sky through the screen door in the kitchen, he must have wandered here while he was thinking. Interesting...Lilith always loved to look at Earth's sky. Something about seeing their heavenly home from below was so fascinating to her. Now the dark clouds looked angry and foreboding. Still fitting, Belphie thought bitterly to himself.

Something pushed against his legs almost giving him a heart attack, but when he looked down he was met with Chester lazily trying to get outside through the door. Belphie let the dog out before turning to go back to his floor.

"Belphie?" The call was quiet and very familiar.

"Beel...what are you doing up?" He greeted the tall silhouette.

"It's normal for me to be up in the middle of the night, why are  _ you  _ up?" Beel countered.

"Floors not comfortable" Belphie shrugged.

They stood for a moment, both twins being as close as they were were thinking about the same thing.

"This is really weird" Beel finally said.

"Yeah… none of us are acting right."

"Think it's cause we're human? That I can't eat and you can't sleep?"

"Gotta be, what else would it be?"

"You think maybe it's a good thing?" Beel had stepped very close to Belphie now, almost pressed against him.

"I think good or not...we're both having trouble with it." Belphie answered carefully.

"Well…" Beel thought for a moment. "I'll help you out if you want, I'm used to not being able to sleep."

"Yeah...and I'm used to losing my appetite." Belphie laughed. "Maybe together we can help each other through this."

"Sounds like a plan" Beel smiled, and Belphie didn't feel so trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	20. Chapter 20

Lucifer was on Earth, all of them were, they had to be. Michael had searched the entire Devildom for every last imp and he still hadn't found them. Unless they had decided to live on the moon they had to be on Earth. The only issue with that was he was strictly forbidden to interfere with human affairs directly. Since the brothers had to be human to be on Earth, they counted as "human affairs".

This did not, however, stop him from paying a visit to the quaint planet. Just to spy on the poor fugitives.

He was lucky to have spotted two of the seven brothers among the indistinguishable sea of humans. Lucifer's closest brother in power Mammon, and his weird anger spawn Satan. They walked the streets of the insignificant town with the human Lucifer was so fond of but Michael had already forgotten the name of.

Watching them from a safe distance, angel form carefully hidden, Michael couldn't help but wonder why _this_ human? Why in the trillions of humans throughout history had this one caught the eye of _Lucifer?_ What was so special about them?

0

It hadn't taken long for Satan to catch the worst case of cabin fever. He practically begged MC to recommend someplace nearby where he could read or think or  _ go _ . Just somewhere that wasn't in ridiculously close quarters with his brothers. MC in turn offered to show him around the town, excitement evident in their offer at the prospect of introducing their friend to their home. As long as he didn't try to throw hands with a six year old or something.

Mammon demanded to go as well. He needed to get out and talk to people if he wanted to scam them out of their savings. That's the excuse he used anyways, the added bonus for him being he could shaparone and make sure Satan didn't try any funny business with MC.

So that's how the trio became the most obnoxious window shoppers the world had ever seen. 

Mammon was caught several times trying to swindle the local elderly population by selling them 'de-aging potion'.

"Look, it'll make you young again. See me? Betcha can't tell I'm a couple million years old right? I don't look a day over 20 and neither will you!"

It was water in a mason jar.

Satan was... picking fights. Well more like he took every small remark or slight as a direct insult. No Satan the small child who just said you're mean and your name is evil was  _ not _ deliberately throwing your honor into question. Chill out.

"Satan what's the one rule I made for this trip?"

"...no throwing hands with a six year old–"

" No Throwing Hands With A Six Year Old! I can't believe I have to write this down for you."

Satan didn't know why he was so touchy, maybe he was a bit high strung because of That Feeling. All day he'd felt on edge, as if something was very wrong. 

As if they were being followed.

Michael watched the brothers happily go about their traitorous business in mild interest. 

Despite the various ills, the day went well. MC did some shopping to replace what Beel had eaten. Mammon managed to make a few pity-dollars. And Satan seduced the librarian into giving him a library card even though he didn't have any form of identification. They were in high spirits as they made their way home.

##TW violence/catcalling##

"Woah! Heeeey bitch you want somma this?!"

The shout went unheard by MC out of habit, but it stopped the boys in their tracks.

The watchful angel hummed to himself. This was a strange behavior he hadn't witnessed in humans yet. 

"Look over here baaaaby!" The boy was maybe college age, and he called to MC from the other side of the street. A large group of friends snickered and goaded him on.

"Are you sure you want to die today?" Satan asked as if enquiring about the weather. MC seemed to catch wind of a danger the brothers didn't.

"Satan come on, they're not worth the energy." They placated. Satan started to back down.

"Oooh tough guy huh?" The catcaller continued to taunt. "Whatcha gonna do pretty boy?"

"You have 3 seconds left to live." Satan stated too calmly as he started advancing across the street, Mammon flanking him immediately.

Michael quirked an eyebrow at the brothers actions, both so quick to defend a humans honor. Meanwhile the human just continued to dissuade them. 

The mindless oaf who'd taunted the former demon brothers into the fight  _ reeked _ with sin. Michael picked out lust and greed as the strongest. All of it stemming from pride of course.

Interesting, he settled down to watch.

MC waited silently for the other shoe to drop. The boys were picking a fight without realizing they weren't demons anymore. Without realizing they were  _ very _ outnumbered. 

MC wanted to summon Lilith's bow, but they didn't know if it could be used on humans without killing them. An angelic weapon probably wasn't made to be merciful to something as weak as a human.

Satan felt the familiar feeling of blood pounding in his ears. His skin was on fire as the coil of anger in his chest wound tighter. 

"Oh you wanna throw down? Right now tough guy come on!" The punk yelled, his friends preparing to back him up. The coil wound a little tighter and Satan couldn't wait for the snap. 

He reached his target, and was immediately on the ground. He didn't register how he'd gotten there until he felt the throbbing pain on the back of his head. He got back to his feet and saw red. Swinging hard at the nearest enemy he went down fast again. This time he couldn't stand back up.

Every time he managed to get to his knees he was knocked down by someone else. There were so many he couldn't possibly compensate. Instead of snapping, the coil in his chest just kept winding tighter and tighter the angrier he got. 

He had no magic or strength to call upon to demolish the assailants. all he had were his own two hands and they weren't enough to stop the coiling. They weren't enough to express the wound up ball of pure fury within him. 

Something had to give. And Satan realized with a start that he couldn't force them to bow. He'd completely lost track of Mammon and he laid on the ground being kicked now. The coiling still there with nothing to break it.

##end of TW##

MC watched the boys immediately fail and decided, to hell with mercy. Summoning the weapon from their ear they prayed for something non-lethal.

A wicked golden taser appeared in their hand.

Rushing the huddle of punks MC reached the closest one and jammed the taser into his back. He convulsed violently for several seconds before falling to the sidewalk. The others backed off and stared at MC.

"What the fuck!!?"

"You got a tazer?!"

"They got weapons now..."

They dispersed after similar calls and MC helped the boys to their feet.

0

Michael stared in disbelief as the human manipulated the Celestial weapon. Where had they gotten one? And how had they gained it's loyalty enough for it to shift on command? There were archangel elites who hadn't mastered their weapons with such precision. 

On top of that they had intimidated those insects into submission with hardly a show of force. The angel narrowed his eyes at the somber expression the human wore as they helped Lucifer's brothers up. Their hair curled slightly on their brow, their eyelids shaded their eyes with a quiet respect as they helped the injured Mammon to his feet. Saying nothing as to not aggravate his injured pride.

Lucifer picked a very interesting human indeed. 

Suddenly their eyes met his, a gaze so sudden his stomach flipped up into his throat. Had they seen him? Ducking behind a building he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. His heart was pounding in his chest. He wasn't afraid, he was excited.

0

That's funny, MC could've sworn there was something on the other end of the street. But it glided away as soon as they'd looked.

Creepy.

0

Luckily they weren't too injured to get home. When they walked in the door they were greeted with the sight of Asmo doing Levi's nails and decided not to question it. MC called Acacia from the backyard and had her help clean up the two idiot. She wasn't very pleased but got the first aid kit to help Mammon.

Mammon cringed hard as Acacia rapped his sprained wrist. He couldn't believe they'd sucked so hard in that fight, being human was the worst.

"Too tight?" Acacia's question pulled him out of his self-deprecation for the moment.

"Nah I'm fine, stupid human bones snap so easily." He grumbled. He felt his face heat up at the smirk and eye roll Acacia threw his way. He still felt pretty crumby for losing to a bunch of humans, but it was hard to dwell on it when there was a pretty girl tenderly bandaging his wounds.

Satan was beet red as MC held the ice pack to the swollen lump on his head. He was still angry and there was nowhere to  _ put it.  _ As one of the most powerful demons in the Devildom, it was easy to blow off steam. No one dared to cross him and he could easily flatten those who did. As a human he didn't have those options, the playing field was level. 

He was powerless to release his frustration and that just made him even more angry. It was an unbreakable cycle. 

"We gotta go back and kick their asses." He said bitterly to the ground. MC laughed out loud one barked laugh and shook their head.

"I think your failure here is enough friend."

"I'm serious, I can't just let this stand. I'll bring the others and I'll bring weapons, I'll make them  _ pay. _ " He growled.

"Satan let it go, we lost." It wasn't MC who answered, but Mammon.

"Give up? Mammon I can't just–" Satan clutched at the air with his hands as he wrestled with his words. He knew he was talking nonsense, but he couldn't just accept he'd never get his vengeance.

"Hey" Mammon crossed the room and spoke at Satan's level. "I get you're mad but you can't win em' all."

"You  _ don't _ get it! I'm not just _ mad _ I'm going to commit a war crime"

"Satan I do get it"

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" The younger brother jumped to his feet, his anger forcing his voice to a scream. Anything to alleviate the coiling just a little.

"Look at me man." Mammon grabbed his brother by the shoulders and stared him down. Satan heaved panted breaths as he tried to compose himself. "How often do I screw up?"

"What does that have to do–"

"Just answer me dickweed. How often do I screw up?" He repeated firmly.

"...more than a standard drill bit" Satan smirked.

"Yeah whatever," Mammon rolled his eyes. "And how often do I get shit about it from you guys?"

"Every day since I met you?"

"Exactly!" He shook Satan's shoulders. "I  _ do _ get it. You feel like you're a rubber band! And every failure and humiliation pulls you tighter and tighter but you never get to snap. Cause there's nowhere for it to go."

Satan blinked in surprise.

"You can't 'cause every time you try to release it you fail and that just makes you more embarrassed which makes you angrier which makes the rubber band. Stretch. Tighter." He punctuated his last words by violently shaking Satan.

"Knock it off!" Satan slapped Mammon's hands away. He had a really good point though. He wasn't exact on everything but a lot of what he said was like he'd climbed into Satan's head and stole his inner monologue. 

"We're human now, you gotta get another outlet for this…" Mammon waved his hands in a vague motion. "This  _ energy.  _ Cause you can't expect to win every time anymore. We lost that luxury."

The room went quiet after that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	21. Chapter 21

Asmo sat alone in the dingy living room. Satan, Mammon, and MC had left a while ago to explore the town or whatever. Beel and Belphie slept in Acacia's room upstairs, and Lucifer was still doing whatever he does in MCs room. Asmo's mind went wild places at the thought, he was well aware of the... ahem _...tension _ between Lucifer and MC. He wondered just what Lucifer got up to in their room.

Either way he was bored. He couldn't call any of his old flames for a good time because he was in hiding, and he couldn't bug MC like usual because they weren't there. He sighed dramatically on the couch but no one was there to see it.

What did he usually do when he was alone?

No he wasn't going to do  _ that  _ alone-activity, He did that already.

So what else?

Ah! The idea hit him like a train. How had he forgotten about spa day? He must really be frazzled for him to forget about his self-care rituals. He moved to the bathroom to see what kind of products the humans kept on hand. 

Barging into the washroom he found it was  _ pathetic _ compared to his sanctuary at home, but it would have to do. There was, however, an unwelcome guest.

"Get ouuuut!" Levi groaned at the intruder from the tub.

"You get out Levi, you've been here all day."

"Leave me to diiiiiie" Levi complained again.

Asmo approached the otaku, ready to physically remove him for daring to impede Asmo's routine. Then he noticed something wrong.

Levi looked...flat.

It was weird and hard to describe but the third oldest was noticeably not doing well. His skin was paler than usual and dry like paper. His hair was greasy and there were visible dirt particles in it. His eyes were dull as they stared unseeing at the ceiling.

"What have you done to yourself?" Asmo asked, incredulous that anyone could allow this to happen to their body. Levi just blinked slowly, one eye at a time. Asmo was out of his comfort zone in the human world, but he considered that it had  _ nothing _ on the fish out of water experience Levi must've been having. 

"Alright come on greasy." Asmo rolled his eyes as he made Levi stand. "Someone needs a self-care day a little more than I do at the moment."

"I wanna go home" Levi just responded quietly, staring at the floor.

"I know sweetie, don't worry Asmodeus will make you very comfortable" Asmo winked suggestively hoping to get a reaction. Levi just nodded without really hearing. Dang he must really be upset.

He wanted to start with getting him cleaned up. Running the bathwater he decided to help Levi out of those smelly old clothes. Levi blushed but didn't fight it. After everything else, this might as well happen.

Levi appreciated what Asmo was trying to do but he didn't see the point. It was all hopeless anyway. He was stuck on stupid-normie-Earth and everything he'd ever worked for and collected had been taken from him. He was a human so he was going to die eventually too. Doing this was just prolonging the inevitable. 

Asmo recognized that look. The one he saw people get when they'd neglected to take care of themselves for so long they forgot how. They forgot why they should even bother. Oh no he would  _ not _ let this happen to his brother. All the brothers had a function, a job that contributed to the family and kept them moving forward. Lucifer kept them safe, Beel kept them together, Mammon…uh...Satan kept them sharp.

It was Asmodeus' job to make sure they never got like this. To make sure they remembered the beauty in themselves so they could see the beauty in the world and continue wanting to be a part of it 

Looks like he'd been slacking.

Making sure the water was the perfect relaxation temperature he demanded Levi get in and relax. The bubbles obscured the view so Levi tried not to think about how naked he was. He tried not to think about anything. He had to admit the water was nice, so we're Asmo's fingers cleaning the grime out of his hair. When was the last time he'd washed his hair? When was the last time he'd had a glass of water? He swished his hands happily and felt the warm currents move across his skin.

Even as a human he was still Leviathan, and he'd always loved the water.

After a while he realized Asmo had left, he relaxed a little more knowing he was alone. He hadn't wanted to do this, or anything for that matter, but now he had to admit it was nice. He felt clean and his energy had come back to him. Just as the water started getting cold Asmo returned with a very fluffy towel and a handbag. 

"Asmo uh…" 

"Oh you're back to yourself" the younger brother smiled, Levi was blushing and flustered. It was good to see him acting more like himself. "Here", Asmo handed Levi the towel and turned around.

Thankful for the privacy Levi dried himself quickly, the towel was warm and pleasant. He wrapped it around his waist.

"Where's m-my clothes?" He asked nervously.

"Oh I had to wash that disaster." Asmo waved his hand dismissively "Follow," he strutted out of the bathroom expecting Levi to follow. Levi hadn't left the bathroom in 30 hours, he hadn't seen the point. Now he wondered whether following Asmo was worth it or if he should just dry out the tub and lay back down. He decided to follow.

He found Asmo in the living room waiting with his hand bag. Levi sat down and shot him a curious look. Opening the bag Asmo pulled out a tube of lotion, a hairbrush, and several bottles of nailpolish. Levi immediately regretted his decision to follow. 

"We're gonna fix you up good, your nails could use a serious touch up and you're so dry you're basically Lucifers cooking."

Levi didn't have a lot of room to escape as Asmo set to work combing out his purple locks. The brush felt good on his scalp and he looked with strange satisfaction as dead hairs fell to the floor. The lotion wasn't bad either, his skin was pretty dry and Asmo's hands were gentle. Levi assumed Asmo would make something like this awkward and innuenous, but he didn't. 

Levi was grateful, he wasn't very good with Asmo's jokes. He hoped they were jokes…

Levi was actually in a pretty good mood when they moved on to the nails. He was clean and warm and not so dehydrated. He felt hopeful, like if he could be happy in this moment maybe the other moments were worth it. He looked down at his fingers and watched his brother work. He didn't like his nails painted at first but the look had grown on him. 

He was actually excited, they'd gotten so chipped he had forgotten what they looked like fresh. He was looking forward to being able to look at his hands and feel nice about them.

Maybe he'd stay in the living room a while, try that game Acacia showed him on the PlayStation, maybe find a new anime on Hulu...just stay where he could do things. Not the tub where he'd rot if he wasn't careful.

Oh look, the others are home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	22. Chapter 22

Lucifer scanned the small room. 

He'd been in MCs room before, but now he was mad. They had been avoiding him and he wanted to know why. Regardless he really took the time to look around. It was like a painting where the more you looked the more you noticed. Everything was interesting, even the things that were mundane.

The lamp had a shade that was painted with clownfish and coral, the parts of the rug he could see through the clutter had glow in the dark patterning. What  _ hadn't _ MC done in here?

No, no admiring their work, he was mad. He forced himself to keep angry thoughts of MC in his head as he heard them ascend up the stairs.

MC hadn't expected a lot when they went to lie down for the night. They had expected the mess, and the smell, and the general ambiance. What they hadn't expected was company.

"Get out of my room Lucifer."

"Forgive my callousness, but what's your problem?"

MC stared at him for a moment. What was he talking about? They just wanted to go to sleep.

"You'll have to be more specific."

"You've been avoiding me." He narrowed his eyes as he stood from his waiting spot on MCs bed.

"I've been pretty busy Lucifer,  _ someone  _ has to wrangle your brothers." The accusation was clear in their tone and it made Lucifer's vision go red.

"You have the  _ audacity _ to insinuate I don't take care of my family?" Lucifer's tone was deadly quiet, MC just sighed.

"You're right, that wasn't fair. I know you're trying your best and it's hard cause you're not familiar with Earth." They shook their head apologetically. 

Lucifer rolled his eyes, "I don't need your pity, if you think you have to lower the bar for me that's on you." 

"Mhm ok get out" MC was thoroughly done with this circular nonsense, they just wanted to sleep. Lucifer didn't budge.

"I came here for an explanation and I will get one." 

"An explanation of what?" They groaned.

"Why are you avoiding me." They leveled Lucifer with a glare.

"Well if I remember correctly last time we spoke you said you didn't need me."

"I don't." He laughed

"Then why are you still here?" Check mate.

Lucifer glared at the ground, he had to choose between admitting he needed an explanation or saving his pride and not getting one. Wordlessly he left the room.

0

This became nightly. Lucifer would wait in MCs room until they tried to sleep, then he would demand explanations and even apologies. MC just waved him off and went to sleep, but they started to notice a change. 

As days went by, Lucifer's demands stopped being so fueled by anger. His voice would take a more desperate tone. MC still held that they didn't owe Lucifer anything, much less an explanation, but his demands eventually became guesses.

"Did I say something wrong?" Of course you did.

"Was I too hard on you?" You think you have to  _ train  _ me or something?

His health deteriorated as well. Well groomed hair sat lifeless on his scalp. Eyes became dull with lack of sleep. Voice became hoarse from lack of use. He did nothing, said nothing outside of his questioning. MC had no idea where he was the rest of the day, he only appeared in their room. They didn't care, he was a grown man and if he wanted to destroy himself that was on him.

They had a family to worry about.

0

It was the first time Lucifer had been outside the house since they'd arrived. Mammon had insisted he take a walk, actually dragging him to the bridge over the lake.

"Come on you've been down in the dumps for days! You need fresh air."

Now he was sitting on a park bench looking out over the ever moving currents of the water. The only thing separating the land and the plunge into the lake was a pitiful iron rail.

"We shouldn't be gone long." Lucifer tried to excuse himself, only to be pulled to his feet by the enthusiastic brother.

"Oh come on! What's that thing the humans say? You're only alive once!" He teased. Lucifer just rolled his eyes.

"I've been alive for a long, long,  _ long _ time. I'm aware of the in's and out's" he quipped.

"What? Can't handle a little fresh air?" He pulled Lucifer right up to the railing. "I swear you're turnin' into Levi." With that Mammon put one foot on the railing and hoisted himself up and over it.

"Mammon! Get  _ down!  _ What if you fall?!"

"Then I'll fall! It's not a big deal, stop bein' such a worry wart all the time." With a sigh Lucifer followed him over the railing.

"Get back on land before I chain a cinder block to your foot and toss you in myself." He threatened.

"Oh so it's irresponsible when I do it, but you're just allowed to do whatever you want?" He spat.

"Well I'm not going to mess up...and…" suddenly Lucifer's vision swirled. Maybe he'd climbed over too quickly, maybe he was just tired, maybe it was the fact that the lake below was  _ so far down _ . 

"...fall"

He was falling.

All he could register was the sickeningly familiar sensation of plummeting downward before he blacked out entirely.

"Lucifer knock it off!" Mammon yelled to the waves where his brother had crashed. What was he even trying to do with this stunt? Make Mammon feel bad? "Get back up here and stop being weird!"

Silence.

Mammon waited patiently for a minute. Waited for Lucifer to come back up and stop being a baby. Then he waited two minutes…

Didn't humans need air?

No surely that didn't count for them. Although air was nice, they'd never really needed it before. 

Three minutes.

Surely Lucifer couldn't be taken down by something as silly as water, the guy could've killed God if he hadn't been grieving over Lilith. He was invincible.

Four.

Ok maybe there was something seriously wrong and he was letting his brother drown right now. What should he do? If he helps and he's wrong then he just looks like an idiot again, if he doesn't help and he's right…

That's by far the worse option.

Tossing his brown jacket to the ground he took a running start and dove into the lake. 

0

MC walked slowly to the bridge. Mammon had told them to meet him there, but they were suspicious it was one of his plots to get them to make up with Lucifer. They were in no hurry for that disaster so they strolled leisurely, enjoying the soft spring day.

The breeze carried a scent so sweet it was almost like soda, and the sun shone through the trees leaving a dappled carpet of light on the grass. Indeed a lovely day for a walk.

Upon reaching the bridge however they were met with a peculiar sight. Mammon was not on the bridge, but crouched on the ground over someone. He was soaked to the bone and... shaking slightly.

MC quickened their pace to a trot, something was clearly wrong.

"Mammon what's going o–" Mammon looked up at MC with wild eyes. He was soaked but they could still see the tear tracks, he shook violently. Beneath him was the soaked and Ashen body of Lucifer.

"D…" Mammon couldn't speak.

"Mammon what happened?" MC tried to stabilize their voice, maybe if they sounded strong they could coax Mammon out of his shock.

"He…" Mammon shook his head. From the soaked clothes and the unconscious man it wasn't hard to guess what had transpired. Moving him off Lucifer MC carefully checked vitals. 

No breathing.

No pulse.

Their heartbeat quickened as they realized just what Mammon was trying to say.

"Dead…" they whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	23. Chapter 23

"Dead…" they whispered.

Mammon broke down at the word. He screamed like a desperate animal, no noise a man should be capable of making. He curled in on himself and continued to sob, muttering apologies and 'stupidmammon's.

MC didn't have time to feel bad for him, they had to act fast. They practically threw their DDD at Mammon.

"Call 911!"

Pushing Mammon away to get as much space as they could, they carefully tilted Lucifer's head up. They took a deep breath and preyed they'd remember enough from health class.

They pressed their lips to the drowned man's and tried to breathe out steadily. breathing was the easy part, but it took all their weight and strength to compress his chest enough. They heard a rib crack but they continued anyway. Mammon screeched and hung up the phone when he noticed their actions.

"What are you doing?!!" MC ignored him too, all energy going to their task.

It took the better part of ten minutes, an excruciatingly long ten minutes, and they feared they'd drop from exhaustion, but finally Lucifer moved. A violent shutter raked his formerly limp body, followed by gagging and vomiting on the concrete.

"Aaahhhaggg" his yell was cut off by another gag and his gasping for air.

He opened his eyes and instantly had to close them as he was assaulted by the bright sunlight. His ears rang so loud it made his head spin. His chest ached and every breath felt like swallowing broken glass. Yet he couldn't stop gulping down air like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

Oh, he supposed it was.

Slowly the ringing subsided enough for him to pick out the frantic rambling around him. Though it still wasn't very clear communication.

Wha!? Ahwahh?! MC you!!! How??! And...what??!" Mammon was thoroughly at a loss for words. He knelt beside his half-dead older brother, gesturing wildly as he only formed partial sentences. Lucifer was dead. He was  _ dead. _ No heartbeat, no breathing, gone-to-be-with-Lilith DEAD!

And MC just???  _ Kissed  _ him awake????

It was the most ridiculous thing Mammon had ever seen and yet, it worked. The most pitiful creature amongst them just saved Lucifer's life. No not even that, they brought him  _ back to life _ . No one has that power, no angel or demon. He had no words for the questions buzzing in his head mingling with his relief. He just asked with his eyes and hoped MC could answer.

Meanwhile, MC was WINDED.

The movies don't show you just how much  _ work  _ CPR is. That was by far the longest ten minutes of their life. They sat with their head between their legs taking shaky breaths and resting their aching arms.

Looking up they saw Mammon was staring at them. Like  _ really  _ staring. Kinda-wish-he-would-blink staring.

No one said a word, the only sound was the heavy breathing and the rustle of distant leaves. The water lapped at the concrete pillars that suspended the bridge, calm and inviting. The light breeze was nice on the wet skin of the boys. It was a good day for a walk, or a picnic. A good day for a swim even, if the water wasn't too cold.

MC shakily got to their feet, beckoning Mammon to follow. They left Lucifer on the pavement while he continued trying to regain himself after that ordeal.

"Did you call–"

"What hippie voodoo magic was that?!?" He was practically in hysterics. "You just resurrected the  _ dead! _ Who are you?!"

"You don't know what CPR is." They spoke in wide eyed disbelief. "Resuscitation?" They prodded.

"Resusci...MC are you a witch?!" His voice got high with his panic.

"Mammon this isn't what's important right now, did you call 911 or not?"

"That wasn't a no!" 

"Mammon!"

"Fine" he put his hands up. "Yes I called them!"

"Good." MC sighed "we just have to sit tight then"

With that they sat on the sidewalk to wait.

0

The brothers all gathered around Lucifer on the couch. There were so many questions flying around that trying to answer them was fruitless. The eldest brother was discharged after they decided he didn't have any serious injuries. He was given pain meds for the broken rib and instructions on how to prevent pneumonia.

Needless to say he was getting tired of having to lie down all the time.

"So we can drown?" Asmo looked around the room for someone to please disagree. "What  _ else _ can kill us?"

"Well nothing can when MC can just resurrect us right?" Mammon beamed, apparently having gotten over his fear of MCs mystical powers.

"No! N–"

"MC you can do  _ what?" _ Levi almost squealed.

"Woah! How did we not know this?"

"You've been holding out on us."

"No no no no no everyone shut up!!" MC silenced the room. "Guys I can  _ not  _ resurrect the dead! Lucifer wasn't brain-dead and all I did was help him breathe. Do not think you're invincible you  _ will _ get yourselves killed."

The brothers lowered their heads in disappointment. 

"Well then Asmo's question still stands, what can get us killed? What should we be looking out for?" Satan addressed the two humans in the room.

Acacia and MC looked at each other briefly, then to the room of curious and slightly scared eyes waiting for their answer.

"Uh...well" Acacia rubbed the back of her neck.

"Everything" MC folded their arms across their chest.

"Care to elaborate?" Belphie drawled.

"There's nothing really to say.  _ Everything _ can kill you."

"Water, fire, other humans." Acacia counted on her hand.

"Cardiac arrest, blood clots, brain aneurysm, you won't even see those coming." MC added.

"Wow...humans really  _ are  _ like ants if they're that fragile." Mammon curled his lip.

"Oh ants can definitely kill you if there's enough of them" MC grinned wickedly.

"And swans! Those fuckers are ruthless" Acacia shouted.

"You're loud"

"Sorry"

The brothers looked around in fear. Some looked at the ceiling as if they expected it to collapse at any second. Acacia almost felt bad, the boys had never faced  _ mortality _ before, it must have been jarring.

"Do you guys wanna learn CPR?" She asked cautiously, she was not expecting such an overwhelming response. Every brother, except Lucifer of course, jumped at the opportunity to learn this mysterious resurrection technique. 

"MC you stay here," Lucifer called. "I need to talk to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	24. Chapter 24

"MC you stay here," Lucifer called. "I need to talk to you."

"We've been through this man," they rolled their eyes.

"No it's not about that, it's about these recent... developments." He gestured to his general condition.

Mammon paused in the doorway and looked at MC. They shrugged, might as well give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Fine, but if you start acting prissy again I'm leaving." They sat down on the arm of the couch. Lucifer bristled but didn't comment, instead he just cleared his throat wincing at the pain it caused.

"Ahem...uh MC you…" oh no, he didn't think the sentence through and now he was stumbling. He didn't often talk like this, after all. "You really helped me today." He finally said. MC raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm"

"And...you deserve my thanks for that." He finished, satisfied with his declaration.

"So this is a 'thank you'?" They gestured to Lucifer indicating his pulling them aside to talk.

"Of sorts, yes."

"Ok, no problem Lucifer." They smiled, not unkindly, but not as fondly as they once did. It sent a knife through Lucifer's gut that he didn't want to acknowledge. He let them leave.

"Mammon" the greedy brother was about to follow MC out the door but turned at Lucifer's call.

"Yeah?"

"You keep saying MC 'resurrected' me, what does that mean exactly?"

"Uh." Mammon wringed his hands. "I mean, I didn't see a whole lot cause I was on the phone and all…"

"Oh Devildoms sake, spit it out."

"Well they like...kissed you?"

Lucifer's eyebrows shot into his hairline, that was not what he'd expected.

"They pressed you into the ground too, the whole thing was weird and looked like some pegan ritual shit I didn't really understand." He shook his head as if to clear it and turned to go outside.

So it was MCs lips that had saved him? Perhaps they didn't hate him after all.

"One more thing" he said before Mammon could leave. He turned around again giving him an annoyed look. "I'm…" he couldn't finish his sentence as his vision went black again. When he came to it was probably only a few minutes later. Mammon sat over him, joined by MC.

"Lucifer, can you hear us?" he hissed at MCs' sudden voice.

"That's exactly what happened on the bridge!" Mammon exclaimed. "His eyes rolled back and he just collapsed." Lucifer couldn't help the stress building in his stomach. He couldn't keep passing out like this for seemingly no reason. MC was staring at him as if trying to read small print on a wall. 

Their scrutinizing stare made him feel more vulnerable than it should've, like they knew exactly what was wrong.

"When was the last time you ate?" They asked suddenly. Lucifer opened his mouth, but realized he had to think about the answer.

He didn't eat breakfast or dinner with his brothers anymore because it was too awkward with MC avoiding him. He didn't take any of the snacks on the drive here. Had they given him something to eat at the camp? No no he wasn't even awake.

"Breakfast, the morning before the Angels attacked." He decided.

"What's that gotta do with anything?" Mammon gave MC a look.

"Humans need to eat, you're telling me it's been 3 weeks?" They asked incredulously.

"Yes" Lucifer scoffed at the insinuation he couldn't go a few weeks without food.

"You have to eat  _ at least _ one meal a day, preferably three." Their voice was strained. Lucifer couldn't imagine doing something so time-consuming. 

"I was fine without food before and I'm fine now." He dismissed. MC knew that tone, the 'I've made up my mind and I'll keep this belief out of spite' tone. But what he didn't know was that MC had exhausted themself physically and emotionally in saving him, stuck by him at the hospital  _ and _ getting him home, gotten barely an acknowledgement, and run fresh out of patience for his jackassery. They grabbed Lucifer by the shoulders and held him firmly, staring him down.

"Do you remember dying?" They asked coldly. Lucifer was taken aback, his indifferent mask slipped into place as he tried to repress the actual memory of the incident.

"It hurts doesn't it. The choking, the gasping only to receive nothing. The feeling of seconds ticking by the length of an eternity as your lungs collapse and burn. Begging and willing to do anything for just one. more. breath." They were right next to Lucifer's ear now, their voice a whisper. He felt his stomach turn to ice as repressed memories of barely conscious moments surfaced behind his eyelids.

They continued relentlessly.

"You felt your strength fading didn't you? You felt your limbs lose all feeling as you fell into darkness, as you felt yourself  _ die. _ " They were trembling now. Their own strangulation memories surfacing, fueling their terrade. They had to continue, if this was the only way to actually get through his pride-armoured skull then so be it.

"Is being unable to breathe, fun?" They spat. He didn't answer, he didn't say anything. " _ Answer me _ ." Their words stung like a scorpion.

"No" 

His throat was so tight, even if he'd had a snide comment he wouldn't have been able to voice it. His heart hammered in his chest and his limbs burned at the vicious memories MC brought to light. Embarrassment lost to the swirling mess of panic and memories.

"Your brothers almost lost you today." They pulled back slightly, looking him in the eyes again. "You no longer have the luxury of believing you're above death, above consequence. You have to live like every other human, not with the question of  _ if _ you'll die but  _ when _ . Are you really willing to abandon your brothers because you're too  _ proud _ to take care of yourself?"

MC stood and stared down their nose at Lucifer. He had his face turned to the floor, his expression tight and unseeing as he processed MC's words. Content that they'd successfully scared the everloving  **shit** out of him, they turned towards the kitchen.

"I'll make you some tea and soup. I expect you'll have no complaints about eating." With that they walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	25. Chapter 25

Lucifer ate when he was told, he took his medication, he slept enough to properly function. All of it fueled by memories of his own demise, the fear of wasting away and falling again.

Damn MC and their...vivid descriptions.

Lucifer was not the only one struggling with humanity however. Mammon had gotten into his fair share of confusion-based trouble. Likewise Lucifer was not the only one receiving help.

Acacia walked purposefully down the street towards the sheriff's office.

Opening the large door she strutted in like she'd done so a thousand times before. That being because she had. She spat her spearmint gum into the bin beside the door and addressed the man behind the desk.

"Hey Bill, how's the puppy? Come up with a name yet?" The man didn't even look up from his paper. He just held out his hand expectantly. "Ah, right to the point." Acacia placed a thick envelope in his hand and he pocketed it. Wordlessly he stood from his seat and made his way to holding, Acacia marching behind him.

He unlocked the metal cage with one of the many keys on his key ring.

"Come-on get out" he spoke gruffly to the man sitting in the cell.

"Oh what?" Mammon looked up surprised, "hey Acacia! You bailed me out?"

She just grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the building.

0

"Thanks Kay, you're a lifesaver. I'll pay you back I swear, just give me a few weeks to–"

"Mammon this is your 4th offence in as many weeks. There  _ wasn't  _ a bail." She grumbled. Mammon blinked in confusion. 

"So what you...bribed him?"

"Hmm" Acacia groaned anxiously. "Me and Bill kind-of have an...  _ understanding. _ " She responded cautiously. Mammon looked at his feet as he walked.

"Dang...thanks." it was genuine, and it made Acacia's cheeks heat up a little. "You're a good friend, you know that?"

What.

"Haha…" Acacia laughed nervously to cover the way her stomach sank. Good friend indeed. "Well, no more pick-pocketing people in the park, you're at the mercy of the law now and if you end up going to court I can't save you."

"Hah! I can worm my way out of much worse than 'human court'." He spoke with air quotes.

"Not without an ID you can't." 

"I got a guy for that," he winked.

"That…" she put her hand on her face in exasperation. "will get you in even more trouble, doofus."

Mammon just rolled his eyes.

They walked along in silence, the stores were starting to close for the evening and the sky was growing dark from the setting sun. The air began to chill and Acacia found herself rubbing her arms that were exposed by her short sleeve shirt.

Something in a shop window caught her attention. The mannequin wore the most wonderful jacket she'd ever seen. Black leather studded with silver bands and embroidery. Long as a trenchcoat and cut perfectly for a shapely hour-glass figure. The hood was lined with incredibly soft- looking faux fur. So many pockets she was sure she could lose Mammon in it. Oh it was so punk and awesome and warm looking, and the shop was closing in 15 minutes!

Quickly she rushed to the door of the store, hoping they had more than just a display, hoping they had her size. She stopped with her hand on the door handle.

It was then that she got a look at the price tag. Definitely not something she could spend on a coat, much less an impulse buy. Reaching into her pants pockets she realized she couldn't buy it even if she was so frivolous. She'd spent the last of her paycheck from her part-time on bribing the police. Sighing she looked at the coat for a minute more before continuing down the street. Mammon stared after her.

What the heck was that?

"Kay! Wait up." He rushed to catch up with her. "You really just gonna let that coat go? That was real Italian leather, trust me I have an eye for these things." He elbowed her in the side.

"Oh well...I already have a coat at home, and it's way too much for just a coat." She waved it off. She wasn't too disappointed, she was used to pinching pennies and not getting what she wanted every time. That and she knew there would be other cool coats. Mammon was still incredulous.

"Just a coat? Kay,  _ just a coat?? _ That is not just a coat, I saw the way your face lit up. That is a really cool coat. Don't you deserve something really cool?"

"No more than the next girl" she shrugged. She wasn't special, if anything she was just annoying and awkward, she had accepted it.

"No you're not getting it, it's not just a coat." He circled around and stood in front of Acacia, blocking her from continuing home. "It's...the feeling of sliding the card across the scanner and getting something new! It's the hanger that no longer sits empty in your closet. It's the knowledge that every time you step outside, not only will you be warm, but you'll be the baddest bitch on the block guaranteed." He was practically salivating.

Acacia hid her smile with her hand. He was like an excited dog.

"You have a serious spending problem, Mammon" she rolled her eyes and kept walking.

0

"Levi!"

"No"

"Aww come on," Mammon sat down next to Levi on the floor in front of the PlayStation. "I didn't even get to say anything."

"You wanna borrow money."

"Well I mean if you're offering…" Mammon responded quickly.

"No! Even if I was born yesterday and thought you might actually pay me back, I don't have any. Take your panhandling elsewhere." Levi didn't look up from his game.

"Fine" he grumbled. Guess his brothers were as broke as him, who would have human money?

Turning his eyes to the kitchen he noticed MC turned away from him, cooking. That could be a good start. Sliding up behind them he planted one hand on the counter in front of them and spoke quietly in their ear.

"Hey MC, whatcha makin'?" They smiled slightly.

"Mac and cheese, your brother won't eat unless I make him."

"You're gonna make Lucifer eat  _ kraft  _ mac and cheese?" He shook his head.

"He'll eat rocks on bread if I make it for him cause he knows he can't cook for shit. What do you want?" They turned abruptly to face him, arms folded across their chest.

"I uh…" he always got flustered when MC talked to him like that. "Well I was wondering...um maybe...heh uh...you know you could…"

"Before we're dead."

"Ah so I wanted to know where I could get some money?" He said a little too quickly.

"You could try a job." They shrugged, turning back to their cooking. Him? Mammon?  _ Work? _

Obviously they weren't in the mood to give him a loan, and he thought even his most sophisticated scams wouldn't make it past their radar. None of his brothers had human money... maybe a job was his only option.

As he weighed his opinions he didn't notice Acacia peeking at him from the hallway. She pushed down the jealousy rising in her chest, she had nothing to be jealous of. She had no claim on who Mammon liked and she knew that. Still she couldn't help the envy and self hatred that rose when she saw how he stumbled over himself talking to MC.

Why wouldn't he like them more after all? They were straightforward and confident and knew exactly who they were and what they wanted. They were so good with people and stressful situations...what did Acacia have in comparison? 

Sometimes it felt like everyone she'd ever liked ended up liking MC.

Sighing, she stepped back into the bathroom. She didn't want to embarrass him while he was trying to talk to MC.

But Mammon didn't have MC on his mind at the moment. He was thinking of money as he paced down the street. He was thinking of finally getting those boots he'd been eyeing. But apparently  _ work  _ was the only way to do that. He shivered at the thought.

He could always walk around town and... see what he could rustle up. It was a tried and true method of fast-cash-grabbing. He probably wouldn't get caught again. His pace slowed as he actually weighed the potential consequences. 

Acacia bailed him out yesterday, and three times before that. It couldn't have been cheap, and his brothers probably would've just let him rot in holding to teach him a lesson. Even if he was 90% sure he wouldn't be caught…

He couldn't bring himself to believe it was enough.

Coming to a full stop he looked at his shoes as he processed what he was going to do. He could, in theory, just not work and not get the boots. The only question was whether he was more willing to work...or to not buy stuff.

There was really only one option here huh.

Squaring his shoulders he continued his stride, this time with more purpose. The purpose of getting a j-huaeh.

Ehem, sorry he gagged a little.

The purpose of getting a job! Surely it wouldn't be that hard.

0

Mammon had worked in customer service for 2 days. He was never going to work again, he couldn't, boots weren't worth it. A woman spit on him.  _ Actually  _ spit on him.

And he couldn't even peel her skin off! He just had to take it like a trained dog. He was over it. Stomping down the street he started mentally plotting his elaborate job-quitting scenario. Then a familiar store caught his eye.

There in the window was the same jacket Acacia had been eyeing. He only looked for a moment before continuing down the street. He didn't know why she wanted that thing, it wasn't even designer.

And she couldn't afford it cause she had to bail him out. No, he shook his head, she couldn't have afforded it anyway cause she's poor and can't spend a lot on a stupid coat. 

Oh...that was worse.

If she couldn't even afford a coat there was  _ no way _ she could afford to bribe the cops on a regular basis. So why did she? Why was she helping when she didn't really have the means? Was she hoping he'd do something for her? 

Or... maybe she was just being nice. Maybe she bailed him out once cause she was a good friend but then he kept being a selfish prick and getting himself in trouble. He turned around and looked back at the coat. 

It really was a simple wish.

He made a decision, he'd make it up to Acacia. She'd been nice and hadn't asked him for anything. She hadn't even called him stupid when he screwed up, she just gave him tips to stay out of future trouble.

He'd postpone quitting for a while. A different scenario started to take form in his mind. One that wasn't as elaborate, but just as important.

0

Acacia was upset that Mammon had been so flustered around MC, but she had come to terms with it. She trudged up the stairs, still tired from school, and flopped onto the bed. Distant conversation caught her ears.

"You can't expect me to eat that, it's not–"

**"Eat the damn mac, Lucifer."**

Rolling her eyes she turned to lay on her side and got a face full of leather.

What?

Sitting up she examined the foreign garment. Without explanation or credit, there on her bed sat a brand new coat.

The very one she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters just keep getting steadily longer.

How could MC possibly hide from him all day in such a small house. Lucifer searched every room including the basement, then he checked the town, finally he double-checked the house and still came up empty.

He _would_ find them, he wanted his answers and he'd get them one way or another. That being said...he missed them. They always avoided him now unless they were reminding him to eat. He wanted to get back to how things were before they'd moved to earth. When they could banter and have fun in each other's presence. 

What had changed?

As the night fell he retired to MCs room defeated. The only way they could've evaded his search was if they'd sprouted wings and flown away. He could see them now standing on the roof to take off.

The roof…

MCs room was on the second story, but the garage roof was only one story tall. Which meant in theory…

Getting up from MCs bed he walked to their window and peered through the curtain.

Sure enough there MC sat on a convenient ledge of roof just under the window, face turned to the night sky. He felt victory well up in him as he opened the window to address them.

"Ah so I've finally found your hiding spot." Lucifer smirked in triumph as he stuck his head out the window. With a sigh they dropped their head. 

"Good evening Lucifer," they didn't look at him as they spoke. "What have you eaten today?"

"Everything you've made me eat, you know I don't need you doing that. I'm fully capable of feeding myself."

"Have you drank water today?" They asked blandly. Lucifer cringed, water was something he wasn't _fond_ of indulging in anymore. 

"Yes… a little."

"Ok"

Then there was silence.

"Why can't you just tell me why you're avoiding me?" He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, is that what you wanted to know? I had no idea…"

"You _will_ tell me."

"That right there"

"What?" 

"That" MC twisted around to face Lucifer. "You haven't actually asked, you've just demanded an answer." They turned back around and looked at the sky again. "I don't owe you anything…" Even though their words were irritated, their tone was simple and wistful as they looked up at the starry sky.

"You don't seem to understand MC, you–"

"Stop talking from the window and get out here" they shook their head. Lucifer stopped and examined the small window. It was a tight squeeze but he managed to step out onto the roof. Standing beside MC he saw what they were staring at. The trees blocked a lot of the surrounding light pollution. The stars showed brilliant strips in the sky, even the Milky Way was visible. They were never this bright in the Devildom.

"Have you considered that you're just...too distracting?" MC interrupted his admiring the sky. He looked down at them but they didn't meet his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I have nine people in a house barely fit for two. And…" they shook their head.

"And what?" 

"It doesn't matter, I'll figure it out. It's just taking a lot of work." Lucifer looked down and thought to himself. Thought about how much work MC was actually doing for all of them. Picking up extra shifts, making sure his brothers were comfortable, making sure Lucifer did basic things he should be able to do himself.

Maybe they had been a little justified in accusing him of slacking, from an outside perspective it did look like he'd given up. He looked down at them and thought, maybe _looking down_ on them was the whole problem. He sat beside them, demon next to human, and he asked again with less force.

"What is it?" MC paused before answering.

"We're broke"

"What?"

"I'm completely out of money…" they buried their head in their arms folded on their knees. He was immediately in solution mode, no longer would he be slacking.

"That's alright, my brothers and I can work, we've done it before. It's the least we can do after all you've shared with us."

"Okay, but let's not think about it, not out here" they looked back up to the stars. The night air shuffled the inky branches of the surrounding trees, an ominous scene against the starry sky. "I don't think of real things out here."

Lucifer watched their face, a small smile on their lips. They looked tired, but peaceful. 

"Why do all of our conversations have to be tense?" He didn't even know he was speaking until he'd asked. He had no proof they'd ever loved him, but he had a suspicion, and now they only ever tried to make him go away. They gave him a strange look but answered anyway.

"I tried to be on good terms with you, I just...you freaked me out when you yelled at me."

"Pardon?" Lucifer didn't remember yelling at MC.

"Before…" they waved their hand at the general situation. "This...you tried to take Acacia's phone away, remember?" He _did_ remember, but that felt like a lifetime ago. Technically it was since he'd died.

"I was not in a good place." He admitted tightly, staring ahead of him.

"Yeah I know you were stressed and scared, but a lot of what you said... wasn't ok." Now Lucifer was confused.

"I understand I may have yelled when I shouldn't have, and I spoke in a rude manner, but I didn't say anything I didn't mean."

Wrong move. MC stood and looked down at him. "Then we have nothing to talk about." They started to leave, Lucifer wasn't going to stop them, if they were going to act like a child that was their problem. They stopped and stood for a moment. Then they lowered themself back down to sit beside him again.

"No, we do have something to talk about. Avoiding each other isn't helping this so we're gonna get to the bottom of it." With that they turned to him. "You meant what you said? For real?" 

"Yes, I did mean it. It's my job to keep you safe as long as you're in the Devildom, well it was, and that means sometimes you just have to trust what I say."

There was a tense silence.

"That is _not_ what you said"

"You call me a liar?"

"No I think your memory's shot from the stress you were under and the fact that you drowned recently." They placated.

"Fine" he conceded, "what do you think I said."

"I wrote it down." They deadpanned. Springing up from their seat they climbed into the house.

"You what?" He had not expected them to have _recorded_ the event. He heard them dig around their room for a minute before returning to his side. They opened their journal and thumbed through it for a while, finally coming to the page they were looking for.

"Here," they pointed to a passage scrawled on the page. It was hard to see in the dim light but they read it aloud easily. 

"'You must be confused MC, the only one who will be figuring this out is me. The rest of you are to stay out of trouble here in the house.' 

'You are mine to keep and you will do as I say.'"

They gave the book to Lucifer so he could see better. They'd doodled some very disturbing and angry imagery that dangerously resembled his demon form. "Yeah then your horns and shit came out and you tried to back me into a corner."

Lucifer stared at the page. That's...not how he remembered it.

"I...said this? _Looked_ like this?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer. It seemed like something he'd say unfortunately.

"Yeah, but you were _really_ stressed." They shrugged.

"I didn't mean to sound so...possessive. I don't know how I was trying to sound honestly." He shook his head and gave the book back to MC.

"Wanna hear my guess?" They raised an eyebrow. His curiosity got the better of him. 

"By all means."

"Well, and stop me if I'm wrong, but I think at least subconsciously you don't understand I'm...a person." They paused to gauge his reaction, his face remained carefully neutral. "You're a person, obviously. You have a unique thought process and outlook and values...but you're so far above a human like me, you never really _grasp_ that I have that too. Just as much as you."

He couldn't help feeling a little patronized by their psychoanalysis, but he had agreed to it. They were on a roll now.

"I think you see me as more of a pet. Something too ignorant to know what's best for it, something you have to protect and order around so it doesn't get itself killed."

That one hit him a little too close. Had he really thought of them like that? He had to admit now that he was drawing comparisons, MC _did_ hold a similar place in his mind as, say, Cerberus.

"Why?" He asked suddenly. MC was pulled out of their rant.

"What?"

"Why do I do that?" The question sounded rhetorical, but MC thought about it nonetheless.

"Maybe it's because you think so highly of yourself? I mean you're the Avatar of Pride and the definition of pride is to put yourself...above... God…" they trailed off, lightbulbs going off in their brain. "I bet that's it."

"What is?"

" _God_. God made angels to love him always, no matter what, you weren't given a choice."

"What does that–" 

"Shut up and let me put this together" they waved him off. He wasn't comfortable with the subjects they were breaching, but they were on an interesting path. "God gave the humans the choice of whether or not to love him but he never gave the angels that choice. You see yourself above God and God didn't see your autonomy, so why should you see that in a human?"

He was actually really uncomfortable now, and it must've shown because he MC stopped their conspiracy there. 

"Perhaps...my issues with my father went deeper than I realized." He said quietly.

"Oh no...I broke my own rule." They chuckled. He raised an eyebrow. "No thinking about real stuff on the roof." He was happy they were trying to lift the mood slightly. The roof really did feel like a place dark thoughts didn't belong. 

"Ask me something stupid" he said. MC blinked at the unexpected request.

"Why?"

"Because I miss talking to you about meaningless things." He sighed. MC smiled, it was a simple enough reason.

"Ok lemme think" they were quiet for a moment. "Ok got it, so...nah that one's too stupid." They shook their head.

"No what is it?" He insisted.

"Heh ok well...is Satan like...your son?" They asked. Oh no, that was a weird one.

"That's complicated, you see he is made from my anger so in a way he's...how would a human say…a clone?"

"Really" they seemed genuinely interested.

"Yes" he was encouraged that they weren't unnerved by the subject. "Though I suppose in a way he's my... son" he admitted. "More than he's my brother."

"Then why do you call him a brother?" He didn't speak for a moment.

"I was far too young to be called... especially since I wasn't very fond of the man I knew who was called 'father'." He shrugged. The blush on his face gave away his embarrassment, but he didn't seem uncomfortable any more.

"Your turn." They said.

"To ask you a question?" He guessed, they nodded. He had a few silly questions he could ask, but he decided against it. They had made him very uncomfortable before and he couldn't just let that go without retaliation.

"Why did you stop loving me?" He decided to ask. He wasn't upset, but he was curious. He'd expected them to be thrown by the presumptuous question, but they took it in stride.

"I didn't." They shrugged

"Then what do you want from me?" He turned to them and fixed them with a stare.

"Nothing" now _that_ he couldn't believe. How could they claim to love him but not want anything from him.

"You must be confused, surely you love something about me that you want. Is it protection? Status? Loyalty? I can offer you a lot if you just tell me what it is." His tone sounded light, but inside he was pleading. He'd had feelings for them for so long he was willing to give them anything their heart desired. And that was _before_ they'd taken in his family, shared everything they had and resurrected him from the _dead._

Didn't they know he owed them the world?

"'you must be confused'" they mimicked his tone. Did he really sound that condescending? "I don't want anything from you Lucifer. That's not how loving someone works."

He rolled his eyes in disbelief and they laughed a breathy laugh. As if having to explain it was silly to them. They thought for a moment on how to best put it into words.

"I love you...like I love the night sky" they decided. He looked up again at the beautiful night tapestry. "It's too far away to reach, but that's ok because I don't _need_ to touch it. It's far too vast for me to understand, but I don't have to understand it to love it. It's there whether or not I show up to see it. And it's so beautiful no words could ever describe it." Their wistful eyes weren't on the sky as they spoke, but on Lucifer. 

"It owes me nothing." They finished.

He was left speechless at the comparison. They had said no words were enough to describe the night sky but Lucifer had to disagree. What they'd just said was far more beautiful.

He was silent as he sat beside them, human next to human. He was silent for so long they must've thought the conversation was over. They stood slowly and bid him a quiet "night" before climbing back into their room. Lucifer just stared at where they'd disappeared from.

He thought he loved MC, but his idea of 'love' as a form of control was a far cry from the exalting definition they'd given him. To see someone just as they are, and to expect nothing. MC was a perplexing human indeed, their dignity and intelligence something he'd sought to own. Never taken the time to just see. As he thought of them he understood a little better that in the end they weren't his.

And they owed him nothing.

* * *

~Like the Night Sky~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	27. Chapter 27

Michael had been on his knees for two days. His bones ached and his hands shook but still he preyed. He'd tried everything else.

Yet the human would not leave his thoughts.

Like a vice, like a snake wrapped around his neck they would not release their hold on his mind, depriving his spirit of the oxygen to think clearly. Sapping him of the strength he needed to resist them.

He'd watched them for too long. Watched them work, rest, laugh, spit, all of it so imperfect and it affected him. Made him feel things, think things, things that were positively sinful. Their spell worked its way into his skin every time his eyes were upon them. Slowly, sweetly persuading him to stray from his sacred duty.

Fiercely he preyed, begged for forgiveness for his thoughts. Forgiveness for his weakness to the wicked humans wiles. Desperately he asked the powers that be to protect him from the humans corrupting influence. 

No answer came.

Frustrated and finally too exhausted to carry on, he stood from his position on the floor. Obviously his Lord was rightfully sickened by his lack of respect and strength. As was Michael. There was only one true solution to be back in the Father's favor. 

He must destroy the corrupting influence. 

Yes, it was the perfect solution. He took comfort in the promise of an easy way to end this. To make everything go back to normal. All he had to do was find the human and convince them to release him from their spell. Or simply stop their breath so it may never corrupt another. 

Perhaps he was meant to come into contact with this witch. If some poor lesser angel were to have been corrupted they would be lost. Powerless to carry out the act he would now carry out. Certainly it was part of the plan for Michael to be the one affected. He should know by now to never question Him.

Brushing off his knees he spread his wings. He pushed off the ground with the power of a bird of prey on the hunt. He reveled in the fast feeling of rising before catching the breeze and moving to track down his human.

0

Lucifer was thrilled at the change in MCs attitude towards him. When they had gone to buy dog food they'd asked him to come along so they could discuss "the plan going forward." He was almost ashamed to admit how much he missed being pulled aside to discuss important business. Earth had no Diavolo to serve, the substitute wasn't perfect but it was something.

He'd missed being needed.

"The way I see it we could continue to support ourselves if your brothers pitched in, but that doesn't fix the underlying issue that this is a temporary arrangement." MC spoke as they walked the eisles of Petco. Lucifer nodded in understanding.

"Yes, but returning to the Devildom is practically out of the question since we have so few numbers. The Celestial warriors will not leave without a fight." He admitted.

"So we'll need help, preferably someone on the inside." Lucifer smiled at their tactical thinking. His human was very intelligent.

No, MC was intelligent. They were not his anything he reminded himself.

"Simon perhaps? He's helped us in the past."

"No" they shook their head sadly. "He said he couldn't do anything more for us, and he's already done a lot."

Lucifer rolled his eyes. Simon was always a goody two-shoes.

"What? The brand we get is was right here" they indicated to an empty section of shelf. "They're always moving everything, what a pain," they pinched the bridge of their nose. As they walked off to the next eisle, Lucifer looked closer at the small label on the metal shelf. It was hard to read. 

A distant shriek interrupted his squinting.

"MC!?" He was immediately searching for them. We're they hurt? Did they get attacked? He understood intimately just how one slip could kill a human. His pulse pounded in his ears as every possible scenario flitted through his mind. He'd just gotten them back, he couldn't lose them now. 

Yet they were nowhere to be found.

0

MC frantically grabbed for their DDD as they saw the stranger approaching quickly, but he was too fast. His hand gripped theirs and pinned them behind their back. The other raised to their temple. "Not again" was their only thought before their consciousness left them.

They woke on the roof of the building, a tall and frankly gorgeous stranger standing over them. His face was gentle and inviting, they were put at ease by the way he stood non-threateningly. Every aspect of him suffocated them with feelings of "trust me" "love me" "surrender".

Only the pure white wings gave away the danger.

"Hello MC. I know we haven't met face to face, but I've been watching over you for some time." His tone made them want to lie down at his feet.

And fall asleep forever.

Mentally their panic grew at the way their body seemed to completely surrender to this stranger. They had to physically resist sighing in contentment.

"I've come to ask you a favor."

"What favor" their voice was quiet, uncharacteristically so.

"Well, you have invaded my mind against my will, child. That's not okay. Don't worry, I'm not angry." MCs body seemed to unconsciously unwind as they heard him say he wasn't mad. He knelt down to their level and looked into their eyes. "Won't you release your hold on me dear?"

0

Lucifer didn't believe what he saw for a moment, but his eyes did not deceive him. He'd come to the roof to get a better view of the area and perhaps see where MC went. Instead he was faced with Michael himself speaking to them. Breaking a cardinal rule to not interfere with human affairs.

He had never seen MC so docile, and for good reason. Michaels pure white aura and soft tones could lull any human into a sense of blind blissful trust. MC didn't stand a chance, and seeing them at anyone's mercy like this was just wrong. Had they always been so small?

Lucifer couldn't even help, it was too dangerous. All he could do was observe, promising himself he'd intervene if his human were to be in danger.

MC had to concentrate hard on the words the angel was saying, so not to fall victim to the tone. They'd put a spell on him? He was watching them? What was he talking about.

"I have never seen you, much less messed with your mind." It physically hurt to disagree with the violently kind and trustworthy angel, still they persisted. "If you are feeling strange around me, it is due to your own sin not mine."

Lucifer smirked, proud his human would not give in. But Micheal wasn't happy.

"Now MC, if you won't admit your crime I will be forced to stop you myself. Please don't make me do that."

They were hit with a wave of indescribable guilt at the thought of making the angel do anything he didn't want to. But their mind knew they'd done nothing wrong. They looked him in the eye and said nothing to justify themself.

Lucifer felt a frustration begin to grow inside of him. He could see the way MCs body and mind fought against each other and it was just cruel. MC was someone who knew who they were and how they felt. Forcing their body to feel things they didn't feel was not only wrong but insulting. His human deserved better than this manipulation. 

Not his human, MC deserved better.

"I'm sorry for this, my Lamb. You will be in a better place soon. A place we can talk about this rationally" He materialized a golden sword and MC saw flashes of memory. Memories of a sword just like this one, wielded by someone standing above them as they fought for consciousness.

Michael?

Just as the sword arched down towards them, a shape darted at them from the edges of their vision. Lucifer didn't know what he was going to do without his demonic powers, he just knew he had to stop that sword. He ended up tackling the angel to the ground and kicking the sword away.

"Run MC!" He didn't care what happened next as long as they got as far away as possible. He heard frantic footsteps but they didn't get softer, they got louder.

MC grabbed Michaels hand that Lucifer had disabled and summoned the weapon from their ear. They knew exactly what they needed. A pair of golden handcuffs materialized in their hand.

Cuffing Michael to the door handle of the building, they grabbed Lucifer by the gloved hand and sprinted in the opposite direction. Lucifer almost stopped them as they ran towards the edge of the roof. There was nothing to jump onto and the fall was too far for a human to survive. He couldn't stomach something like hights or sudden drops anymore, not after the fall that tore his life apart.

But MC ran on, jaw set in determination.

He wanted to stop them but...they wouldn't do this without a plan. He could stop them and be at Michael's mercy, or he could trust them.

They'd better not make him regret this.

Reaching the edge of the roof they sprang with Lucifer in tow. Their legs were more powerful than he realized as they soared a good distance through the air. Humans were full of surprises. There was a heartstopping moment where they were in free fall.

Falling towards the ground

Falling towards the water

Falling towards the Devildom

Lucifer wanted to scream.

They reached out in front of them and grabbed the very top of a pinetree as they fell. The plant bended under their weight, but it slowed their fall considerably. As they reached the ground they landed softly, like a swan on the lake.

Lucifer lowered himself to his knees and took a shaky breath.

"Sorry," they panted from their sprint. "I couldn't think of anything else." They summoned their bow back to their ear. He just nodded. They were fine. That was excruciating and stupid, but they were ok. 

He'd trusted MC and they hadn't let him down.

0

The two arrived back at the house, shaken after their ordeal. Lucifer addressed the room.

"Family meeting!" That felt good to say again. One by one the brothers showed up in the living room from wherever they were. 

"Just now MC was attacked by Micheal, this is the last straw. As of now our main priority is making preparations to reclaim the Devildom." They brothers were silent at the declaration. Then the questions began.

"Oh no MC are you alright?"

"But what about the angels?"

"We're going home? Finally?"

Lucifer left MC to handle the questions. He had work to do.

0

Michael knelt shaking on the pristine floor. His head clouded with shame at his failure and sinful thoughts that still persisted for MC.

Before him was his creator.

"You've broken one of the rules I set." His voice was many, filling the room, filling Micheals head. "The rules I set to keep things in order, to keep you safe." Micheal shook as absolute guilt and self loathing washed over him. How could he have hurt the Father like this? 

"I'm sorry" his voice shook with his tears.

"I know, child." The Father's voices were infinite patience and understanding. Michael didn't deserve so much. "You will be forgiven when you pay penance."

"Oh thank you thank you" Michael practically tripped over himself at the opportunity to redeem himself. "What must I do?"

"You must give me back what I gave you. That which enabled this breach of trust." Michael quaked at the demand. That which enabled? He knew what He meant, but he was loath to comply. 

Carefully, sadly, he returned his wings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	28. Chapter 28

"I can't believe we're kicking out those angels, finally we're getting our home back!" Mammon laughed boisterously as he thought of it. "No more having to live in this d–" he cut himself off short as he saw Acacia peering at him from the doorway. "Ehem...we won't have to live here." He finished lamely.

Acacia rolled her eyes and left without a word. Had he really offended her that badly?

0

MC listened with rapt attention from the front steps as Lucifer laid out their options. He was pacing in the front yard and he spoke very softly to avoid anyone overhearing.

"The Demons currently facing trial in the Celestial realm could be willing to help us if we offer something in return. Unfortunately we have no assets–"

"Shouldn't returning home be enough?"

"Not for a demon, they don't do things for the sake of goodwill."

"So we have no allies?" Lucifer shook his head dejectedly. "What about–"

"Please MC, I need to come up with a solution can't you make yourself busy elsewhere?" He snapped in frustration. They shot him a glare and he instantly wished he could take it back.

"Firstly, you asked me out here so I could help you." They held up one finger. "Secondly, you aren't mad at me so don't misdirect yourself." They held up another. "Lastly, I have a suspicion you're doing the thing you always do where you shut out all feedback but your own. Knock it off" they placed their hands on their thys and leaned forward menicingly. Lucifer had to admit he was relieved, even if he slipped sometimes MC would never let him get away with it. The nerve they had was aggravating, and it was what he loved most about them.

"Fine, as you were" he wasn't so grateful he could apologize. Baby steps.

"I was saying 'what about Luke'" they crossed their arms. "He's our friend." Lucifer laughed openly.

"He's worse with rules than Simon, and he answers  _ directly  _ to Michael. He's our worst option."

"I see what you're saying, but hear me out." They stood and put one hand on his shoulder, gesturing with the other. "You can't fight for your land as humans, so we need to find an angel to change you back. Luke acts like he doesn't like demons, but we all know he's lying, and Michael? Well if we want to know his plans and work around his tactics, who better to help us than his most trusted little lap-dog?" As they finished their pitch they stood back and put their hands in their pockets, giving him time to mull it over.

"What your saying is...Luke  _ isn't  _ a good option, he's our  _ only  _ option." He said slowly.

"Precisely."

"... alright, we can try to contact him. But you have to do the talking, he has a soft spot for you." 

"Everyone does" they winked as they made their way back inside.

0

Mammon had tried to catch up to Acacia twice now, but every time she evaded him. Satan had teased him for it too.

"You're just chasing every human who comes along huh." He smirked. Mammon brushed it off.

"Yeah I guess, hey any idea why she's runnin'?" Satan shook his head and Mammon moved on with his pursuit. That was unusual. Mammon obviously liked her, so why wasn't he denying it like he always did?

Acacia didn't want to talk to Mammon right now. Correction, she very much wanted to talk to Mammon all the time, but she wouldn't let herself because she couldn't like him the way she did. It sounded silly because he clearly returned her feelings, but she had her reasons.

Ducking into an open supermarket she tried to hide amongst the eisles. Why couldn't he just give up already?

He'd spotted her hair flit around the corner of the produce eisle and he followed quickly. The great Mammon didn't like to be avoided, what had he done wrong. Breaking into a sprint he was determined to chase her down once and for all.

She noticed too late he had abandoned all subtly and was running at her now. Her pace quickened but not enough, oh she wished she'd worn a better bra.

Reaching her in record speed he stood in front of her blocking her path.

"What's your deal?!"

0

"No, nononononono I WON'T!" Luke yelled a little louder than necessary, practically barking his protests. "I won't help any of your kind, not while Michaels goal is just within reach!" Lucifer folded his arms across his chest and shook his head, he knew this was a waste of time.

"Come on Luke, you might be our last hope." MC said sweetly. Luke looked up with sad eyes, almost sympathetic enough to give in. But he steeled his resolve and shook his head once more.

"You'll be lucky if I don't report this directly to Michael!" He scoffed.

"I knew this would be a waste of time." Lucifer muttered, but MC knew he was just as disappointed as they were.

0

Acacia looked frantically at the ground, she really didn't need this confrontation right now. Mammon stood in her path, hands on his hips expectantly.

"Well?"

"I don't have a  _ deal  _ ok so stop worrying about it" she spoke too quickly for it to be convincing. Mammon didn't budge.

"Oh you definitely  _ do  _ have a deal, and I'm going to pry it outta you one way or another so that's the deal!"

"Well it's deal or no deal little man! And I don't see your deal-makin-pants on."

"Oh yeah!" Mammon ran out of steam as confusion took over. "Wait what's the deal again?"

"There is no deal!"

"YES THERE IS! AND I AIN'T LEAVIN 'TILL YOU SPILL!" He was inexplicably yelling now. Acacia, no longer afraid of his dramatic volume shifts, matched his tone and hysteria.

"WE DON'T HAVE A DEAL MORON!" 

"IS IT 'CAUSE YOU HATE ME OR SOMETHING CAUSE GET IN LINE SISTER!!"

"NO I HAVE A  _ CRUSH _ ON YOU DUMBASS!" 

The silence that followed was much louder than their screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	29. Chapter 29

"NO I HAVE A  _ CRUSH _ ON YOU DUMBASS!" 

Her body trembled with rage as she yelled the admission. He stepped back in shock.

"WAIT YOU LIKE ME??" 

"OF COURSE I DO!"

"WOW... THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE! I DUNNO WHAT TO SAY!"

"MAYBE WE SHOULD STOP YELLING!"

"YEAH MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT! YOU GO FIRST"

"NO I WANT THE LAST WORD!"

"Geez ok fine" he held up his hands in surrender. Shoppers were eyeing them with resentment for them and their shouting match. Acacia went back to staring at the floor, embarrassed by how much she'd said. Mammon thought about how to proceed.

"I didn't even consider that you liked me." He admitted.

"Don't give me that, you obviously want me to like you." She grumbled. Mammon realized with a start that he'd never thought about it.

"I haven't been doing anything on purpose, if you fall for the charm and wit of the incredible Mammon then that just can't be helped." Acacia rolled her eyes as he praised himself, puffing his chest out slightly. In a way he was right, who could resist such a lovable dumbass.

"So...do you like me too? Or am I just making a fool of myself." She asked quietly. "Take your time" she added when he didn't answer right away, she wanted him to be sure.

Mammon thought about it. He always had fun when Acacia was around, she was nice but not in a pitying way. She understood him better than a lot of people too, she had been easy to talk to since the day he met her. Did he like her? Of course he did.

That shocked him. There was no self doubt or denial, he didn't try to play it off as a faze of a simple crush like he did with MC. He genuinely, earnestly  _ liked _ Acacia, and for the first time he didn't feel ashamed of feeling like it. 

He liked her, it was just a fact, like the sky was blue or Lucifers a prick. Simple, basic, how long had he known this for it to feel so normal?

"Yes" he said without shame. "I do like you." He nodded to himself, it felt good to say. Acacia practically choked. This ultimate tsundere just  _ admitting  _ feelings was wild. And worse, she realized, she still had to deny him.

"I see…" she said slowly. "I think it might have been easier if you'd said no." She laughed dryly. Mammon didn't understand.

"But...wait if we both feel the same way then this shouldn't be complicated right?" He asked.

"No...it is complicated."

"Why? What am I missing?"

"MC"

Suddenly Mammon was hit with a wave of reality. For just a few moments he had actually _ forgotten _ his feelings for MC. Now that he remembered he couldn't help but wonder…

"How did you know I liked them?" He asked. She laughed loudly.

"Oh oh honey...it was  _ obvious!" _ Mammon's cheeks colored.

"Hey it wasn't  _ that  _ obvious."

"Oh yeah it was!"

"Whatever." There was a comfortable silence as they still stood in the middle of the eisle, he sighed contentedly.

"See? This isn't complicated." He said softly. Why couldn't they just have this all the time. This simple completeness, but her face fell.

"No...Mammon you really liked MC and…" she took a step back. "I won't be your second choice," she leveled him with a stare far more confrontational than she usually was. A stare that eerily resembled MCs, but it was definitely  _ her  _ resolve behind her eyes. He stopped breathing for a moment as he realized what she must think. How she must see his feelings.

"No! Of course not, I…" he closed his eyes looking for the words, but they just weren't there. She took it as an admission of guilt.

"It's ok Mammon... we'll both get over it, I think we should just try and get some space for a while." And with that she left before he could convince her to stay.

0

That night the sun was red as it set on the town seven devils had taken refuge in. It burned the horizon like a cigarette, leaving the land scorching hues of violet and amber.

Two siblings watched this phenomenon from opposite sides of a very run down house. One on a rooftop, a boa constrictor around their shoulders. The other on the front steps, a pitbulls head lying in their lap. Both so similar and so close, yet so distant in mind and process. 

Acacia stroked Chester's head softly as she mulled over her decision. She'd ran out of tears and now only emptiness remained as she stared at the dimming orange sky. She was so lost in thought she almost didn't notice the note that slipped under the door beside her.

0

MC let the large reptile slither through their hair as they tried not to think of real things. Their slim hands were calloused from the projects they worked on, and they carefully placed cards into card houses on the flat section of roof. An angel approached so slowly behind them they almost didn't hear.

0

Acacia took the small note quizzically, who would be writing to her instead of just talking. Opening it she saw that the note was written in very tidy ink, but there were barely visible eraser marks underneath that gave away the multiple pencil attempts it took to reach the final product.

0

MC realized the presence they were sensing and carefully watched the approaching figure cloaked in white out of the corner of their eye. Hands never straying from their cards. The snake on their person  _ looked _ scary and perhaps it would be intimidating enough to dissuade the intruder. Even if in reality it was more like owning a paperweight than a pet.

0

Scanning the page Acacia read:

Acacia, 

I know I didn't explain myself earlier, that's because I had too much trouble putting it into words. I decided to take your advice and "take my time". This is what I came up with.

I did like MC, really I did, but the way I feel about you is different. MC was nice to me and that blew my mind so much that I developed feelings for them just based on that. That sounds bad but it's really not a big deal, I don't need kindness from anyone cause I'm great. 

Back to the point, you aren't just nice. You're also helpful and generous and always understanding even if I'm just making a mess of things. You're really different but you still get me more than anyone I've ever met. 

The bottom line is, I like who I am when I'm with you.

I hope you'll reconsider things between us. I want you to know that you're in no way my second choice, you're the person I never thought I'd find. The one so great you couldn't be real, so I  _ settled  _ for MC.

Sincerely, Mammon

0

MC stood so quickly the angel stumbled backwards from the shock. He tripped on the uneven roof and fell with a thud to the shingles.

"Luke?" MCs voice was hopeful.

"What are you trying to do, scare me to death?" He adjusted his hat and brushed himself off as he stood once more.

"Sorry" MC spoke quietly as they helped him up.

"I've come…" he hesitated before nodding to himself. "I've come to help you...and the others I guess" MC immediately knelt down and gave the boyish angel a tight hug. "Eek!" He squeeked, flustered.

"Thank you Luke, you have no idea how much we need you." They released him from their hold but stayed on their knees to be eye level with the small helper.

"You're welcome." He blushed at the praise, "but if Michael finds out I'm blaming you guys." He said to save face. MC just chuckled, maybe there was hope after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	30. Chapter 30

The brothers stood in anticipation before the tiniest angel. They'd mocked him before, comparing him to a small dog, but now they stayed silent so as not to break his fickle conviction to help them.

The house was too small to actually have everyone in a single room at once, so they'd moved once again to the old bridge over the lake. Much to Lucifer's dismay.

He didn't say anything, but his distress was clear by the way he clenched his jaw and his eyes darted periodically towards the waves below. 

"Ok everyone has to stand still, and I don't want to hear any mocking after this! You all owe me big." The bratty angel warned. The boys bit back their comments, too excited to be demons again to put it in jeopardy. Luke made a motion as if he was cracking his knuckles, but there wasn't any actual cracking. "I had to steal this spell from Simon and I haven't really done it before so… hold your breath" he said a little too happily. The brother's excitement quickly turned to trepidation. Raising his small hands face down in front of him he spoke a single, echoing phrase.

"ptósi stin kólasi"

Unlike becoming human, the brothers felt this change instantly. Their strength and purpose restored like a gale blowing through a field. They remembered who they were, what they had become. It was all they'd been missing, suddenly restored.

Demon forms erupted through them immediately.

"Whoooooaaaaah!!" Levi almost cried. "I didn't know how much I missed my  _ tail!" _ He cooed.

"Ah yeah Mammon's back baby!" 

"Finally! Those human forms were so stuffy."

"I'm hungry."

The chatter continued as they reaclimated to their demonic forms. Lucifer looked upon his brothers and his heart swelled at their happiness. He stretched his wings out behind him, reveling in their power and familiarity. No mere fall could ever best the Avatar of Pride again.

"Thank you again, Luke." MC smiled at the smug little angel. "I know you risked a lot in doing this, we really are grateful." Luke just looked away blushing a little. 

"I didn't do it because I like you guys, I did it because watching you try to be humans was just sad." 

"Hey little dude," Acacia interupted.

"It's Luke!"

"Right, can't you turn me and MC into demons too? We'd probably be more useful that way." Luke seemed appalled by the thought.

"Why in creation would you  _ willingly _ be a demon." He almost shouted.

"Cause it's rad." She answered easily. Luke just shook his head more violently.

"No! I can't you...I don't...ugh no! It's just wrong!" He stammered. He fixed them with a stern stare that looked too cute to be taken seriously. "It goes against  _ everything  _ I believe in and I won't do it." He said firmly.

"Alright geez, don't get your collar in a twist."

"I AM NOT A DOG!"

There was laughter all around and Luke had to begrudgingly admit defeat. 

The brothers spent the next couple hours completely destroying the nearby foliage with the powers they'd so dearly missed. MC and Acacia stuck close together in a mixture of fear and amusement. Watching as the brothers summoned plagues and imps to compete with each other or just for the fun of it. 

They looked on in twisted delight as Beel picked up a live deer and horked it down without hesitation.

*Burp* "mmm fresh..."

Luke stuck around too, mostly because he had told Michael he'd be gone for a long time. Definitely not because seeing the happiness he'd brought to his not-friends made him feel all fuzzy inside. That obviously wasn't it at all.

The sky grew dim as Acacia and MC sat in the folding chairs they'd set up at the beginning of the carnage. The spring air was beginning to feel more like summer as the warm breeze baked the ground and stirred the bushes around them. The brother's got so hot from the havok they'd started summoning demon-water to ambush each other with. It was the equivalent of them having a demon level water balloon fight. 

The day was perfect, just one moment, an island of respite from all the chaos and hardship of they're recent lives. 

Of course it was only to be ripped away.

It started with a scream. The brothers didn't even hear it, but MC and Acacia turned on instinct. Behind them Luke voiced a whine so frightened it sent shivers up their spines.

Micheal stood silhouetted against the lake, setting sun behind him making him look like a shadow against the sky.

"PTÓSI STIN KÓLASI!" He hissed like a feral cat who'd caught its first bird in weeks. 

And just that fast, Luke fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ptósi stin kólasi  
> (πτώση στην κόλαση)  
> 0  
> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	31. Chapter 31

Luke didn't rise again. 

Michael rounded on the defenseless humans before him, diving towards them before the brothers had time to notice. MC reacted on instinct, throwing Acacia to the ground and out of harm's way before shoving the approaching angel with their palm. Hoping to draw his attention away from their sister. 

As they stretched their hand towards the enraged Angel, it was not their palm that made contact, but a large golden shield.

Honestly, where would they be without Lilith's bow?

Michaels approach was stunned by the defense, but he continued undeterred. Moving past MC completely to grab their frightened sister off the ground. The boys had caught on by now that they were under attack and swarmed threateningly around Micheal.

"Put her down" MC growled. For a moment it was easy to forget they were a human with how they sounded. 

"Now you stay back MC, I don't want you getting hurt." He said sweetly. 

"That's new," They spat. 

"Well it occurred to me…" he wrapped his hands tighter around Acacia's wrists to keep her secure as he spoke. The brothers didn't dare move while she was being threatened. "Of course you'd be predisposed to sin, you've been amongst the source of it for over a year. I just need to give you the forgiveness you've been missing." He leaned down as if talking to a child. "I can  _ fix _ your wayward mind, my Lamb. I can take you away from these terrible influences and remind you of your inherent innocence."

They stared wide eyed as he finished his explanation. With his relentless pursuit of the brothers they should've figured it out sooner. Michael was obsessed. 

"Let the girl go, this is between us." Lucifer called out in hopes of drawing Michaels attention away from the humans.

Acacia sensed the distraction of her captor and raised her knee up. Stomping with all her weight right on Micheal's foot.

"Aaah!" He pulled back but only held her wrists tighter. "Insolent snake! That's enough." The angry man dragged the fighting human over the railing. Gasps and cry's sounded from the surrounding people, all of which considered Acacia family.

All of which had seen the consequences of that drop.

Holding the railing with one hand he held the squirming girl over the ledge with his other. She hyperventilated at the sight of the water churning below. The melting snow was no longer contributing to the water level and it had lowered considerably. Below her was not the water Lucifer had fallen in weeks earlier, but the harsh rocks exposed by the lowered tide.

She was too scared to even scream.

Any other words Lucifer had died on his tongue. He just stared and sympathized too closely with the look of animalistic panic in Acacias eyes as she looked down.

"You will all do as I say or the human falls!" He called to the small crowd. There was deathly silence. The wind whistled as it blew quickly over the concrete of the bridge. Acacia's wrist started to ache and her shoulder felt like it was pulled taffy, but she tried her best not to move. If she fell now it would be the death of her.

MC locked eyes with their sister. They slowed their breathing and relaxed their muscles, Acacia had to see they had this under control. Even if they didn't. They gripped their shield firmly and gave their sister a small smile. She calmed a little too, assured that MC would figure something out.

Lucifer didn't care much for Acacia, that was no secret. But she was MCs  _ sister _ . He saw from the corner of his eye how MC consciously tried to reassure her without words. How they were racking their brain for a way out while trying to look like they already had one. It was too familiar, and he had to respect it. Lucifer turned his attention to Michael. He had stooped to threatening a human to get his way. And he did it in such an odd way. Dangling her over the bridge, and he didn't use his wings...where were they?

Mammon was  _ distressed _ . He'd only just figured it out with Acacia! And she was...was… oh God why didn't he have his wings in case he dropped her? Mammon's wings weren't large enough to support his weight in flight, what if Michael slipped? What if he broke her arm dangling her like that? What if something happened and he couldn't save her and he never saw her smile or heard her snort-laugh again and he was stuck alone in an empty world with no one to–

Acacia saw MC was calm, but Mammon was visibly losing his shit. They all were at a standstill.

"I want everyone on their knees" Michael demanded. With no other option the boys lowered themselves to the ground. Months ago there would've been a bit more protest, but being human had humbled them all. MC stayed standing, hoping Michael wouldn't notice as they inched closer.

That's right... I'm just a silly human. I can't think for myself or speak against you. I can't act. Focus your attention on the boys, Michael. They are the threat, not little old me.

Acacia let out a small whine. MC looked to her and saw tears forming in her eyes. Her skin was  _ tearing _ where Michael held her wrist. Blood trickled lazily down her arm and she stared at it with pain in her eyes. Her face going white. MC broke into a sprint.

They practically flew to the railing before there was time to react. There was no choice. With one hand they shoved their shield in Micheal's face, knocking him aside. The shield flew from their grip and went with him. With the other hand they grabbed Acacia by the collar of her nice leather jacket and threw her towards safety. MC felt relief for a brief moment as their sister grabbed the railing with shaky hands. 

They let out a sigh as they fell, too late noticing they had no hands left to save themself.

0

Time stopped.

Lucifer was formulating a bargain with Michael in his head as he saw MC make a mad dash over the edge. He wanted to run, to fly, to  _ save them _ . To protect them like he promised himself he would, but he couldn't move. He looked at the drop he'd suffered mere weeks before and he froze.

He knew he'd never get over it in time.

Now they were falling, time was practically meaningless as his senses took in every excruciating detail of what was happening. Forcing life into slow motion. MC fell, they didn't even seem to care they were going to…

Lucifer's heart beat in his ears as he turned to Micheal. The angel's eyes were almost as frightened as he felt. He'd known Micheal for a long time, and that was Michael's greatest weapon against him. Now it would be their solace. they could read each other like a simple story book. The terrified eyes turned to his and there was a wordless agreement.

0

Michael watched as his human fell in their sisters stead. They fell so slowly it felt like an eternity he couldn't move. They'd never be forgiven if they perished now. They'd never realize and repent and finally be his. His stomach dropped with them as they fell, his feelings he tried to deny forcing their way past his throat and behind his teeth. He couldn't save them. He had no wings.

His eyes locked with Lucifer's and his own thoughts were mirrored. It had been millennia since they'd read each other so quickly, but the response was instantaneous. Muscle memory.

_ Save them _

Lucifer practically begged, but Micheal shook his head almost imperceptibly. The demon instantly put it together. Micheal didn't have his wings, he didn't know why but it didn't matter. All that mattered was MC was falling. And he had to do something fast, something that he'd never live down.

"I don't–" Michael started to explain, but he didn't need to finish telling Lucifer about his wings. His response was like stone.

"Take mine"

0

MC only fell for a few moments, their eyes screwed shut. They didn't want to see themself hit the rocks. 

Acacia was safe

Micheal had no leverage

They were ok with this.

But it wasn't rocks that greeted them as their heartstopping fall was interrupted. It was the giving jolt of landing in someone's arms. They didn't process this at first. Then there was a single wonderful moment where they thought...they naively believed perhaps Lucifer had saved them.

Then they opened their eyes, and nearly screamed as they saw themself in the arms of the enemy.

Micheal was a little unsteady on wings that weren't his own. Lucifer's were darker, stronger, and there were 4 instead of 6. He'd lost a pair when he fell and it never occurred to Michael just what a difference it made. He couldn't imagine what a strong flyer Lucifer must've been with 6.

Landing on the bridge he didn't release MC right away. They didn't like that apparently because they pried themself out of his arms upon touching down and stood away from him. Eyes staring in abject terror and an arm in front of Acacia.

He looked at the scene in before him, now that the humans were safe the Brothers circled like a pack of jackals. All except Lucifer who was content to watch his brothers as he stood almost imperceptibly between Michael and MC. His wings returned to him and made him look much larger, matching the accusing glare he leveled the angel with.

What...what had he done? He knew MC had affected him in a way that made him weaker but…

The fear for their safety. The willingness to abandon his mission to save them.  _ Agreeing _ with Lucifer! He'd fallen farther that he thought.

His mind reeled and his feelings twisted in his throat like a mass of writhing snakes. He had to leave. Not only could he not face all seven of them without leverage, but he couldn't do anything with his mind and morals in such a frenzy. He cast one backward glance at MC, they looked at him like a rabbit would a wolf, and the knife in his gut twisted farther.

They were more confused than he'd realized. He had to save them from this, and he made a silent promise that he would.

With that in his mind, he fled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	32. Chapter 32

Even his home was forign to him now.

Micheal stood in the largest hall of the largest Celestial realm house of worship. He'd been there multiple times a day every single day from the day he was created. It was the closest thing he had to call a home, but it held no joy for him now. No sanctuary.

He only thought of the human. The protective stance over their sister. The wild eyed stare through his. They stood against the ground with the strength and purpose of an oak, and threw the weakness the world forced on them to their feet like a scornful gift to a kneeling beggar.

It was said **He** created man in **His** own image. Only now did Michael see the resemblance. And those demons...those vermine of the realms, betrayers of the Father… they _dare_ to corrupt one so holy. One so perfect and complete in their self and their heart.

How could one be so flawed? So inherently pure yet unfathomably corrupted that it draws an angel in like a month to a dangerous flame?

How could **He** have made someone such as this?

The answer came to him like shock of cold water.

For _Michael._

It all made sense, the human was created for him. Michael had served and loved and obeyed the father so closely for so long that the father made someone just for him. Someone to test his faith, and reward him when he was successful in restoring them. Someone so beautiful they were fit for an angel such as himself. Someone he could keep and call his own for the rest of time. 

MC was his Father's gift to him.

He was suddenly light-headed. Giddy like a child on Christmas morning. A human just for him, and not just that. A viable king among humans. The most incredible gift, a gift from the Father directly.

Quickly he left the cathedral, he had to tell them the good news. He had to find them and save them so they could finally come home to him. Come home and put his racing mind to rest. No longer would they be in servitude to the underworld, to _Lucifer_. 

They would be in their rightful place, on their knees before him.

0

The first priority after Micheal left was making sure Luke was ok. He was burning only a few moments ago, a fall from grace was never pretty after all. But he was gone, dissappeared like ashes on the wind.

They didn't have time to find him.

There were plans to make, people to gather, hideouts to find. They had to get moving, reluctantly, they had to leave Luke to whatever fate he found.

Returning to the Devildom was pointless, if they wanted to disperse the swarm of angels there they first had to address the leader. Michael had fled to the Celestial Realm.

The climb to the Celestial Realm wasn't easy for the demons, and it was even harder for the humans, but Micheal had left the gates open just a crack during his swift retreat. It was a mistake that would be their entrance.

The boys were so overjoyed to be back...it was hard to keep them on track.

Mammon almost never looked where he was walking, always with his head stooped downward to admire the gold paved floors. He held Acacia's hand as he ooh'd and ahh'd all the expensive and ornate decoration around them.

Acacia and MC had to shield their eyes from the sheer white light that permiated the realm. It was probably for the best, some of the things around them were not for human eyes to witness.

Even Lucifer was pulled from focus, his head whipped around and back to get a view of everything he'd missed. MC had never heard him so excited and unabashed as he discribed every landmark and told stories of his time as a young angel. 

"I told each of the charubs they could commit one sin so they could know to avoid it" he gestured wildly, almost like Acacia as he spoke fondly. "Ever diligent, they all went off to complete their task and I asked them what they did for their sin. They were so ashamed, but I told them they were forgiven and told each one to drink from the holy water. Right there at that fountain."

MC squinted through the light at the direction Lucifer pointed. They could almost make out the very edge of a large structure, but recognizing detail was futile. Lucifer was snickering, actually snickering, as he continued.

"Imagine my surprise when I asked the last Charubum what sin they'd commited, and they said they'd _peed_ in the _holy water_. 

Acacia almost fell over laughing, who knew Lucifer had _funny_ stories.

MC made a mental note to paint and write some of his stories, they were quite vivid.

Eventually they had to give up sightseeing in favor of finding a place to hide. If they were spotted the punishment would surely be worse than just being banished to the Devildom.

In the end Lucifer decided to contact an old friend.

_Knock knock knock_

"Hello sorry I'm very–"

"Hello Raphael."

The angel stared up in shock at the friends he'd thought he'd never see again. Raphael was a small man, almost as short as MC in fact, slim build that seemed to bend under the weight of the many scrolls he carried. He had long, curly black hair he wore in a low bun and round gold glasses that sat slightly crooked on the bridge of his nose.

"Wha– but I thought...Lucifer?" He asked awestruck.

"Raphael we need a place to stay, we cannot be found." Lucifer placed a hand on the angels door to keep him from shutting it on him. Raphael blinked before shaking his head to clear it.

"Lucifer you _know_ I can't, no one can side with you since your fall." He readjusted the scrolls in his arms, almost dropping multiple. "Please I'm very busy with these medical records, I have to document everything you know." He started backing away from the door but Lucifer just took a step forward.

"I've never known you to turn someone away, it is what is most admirable about you." He pressed. The angel looked physically pained. "Please, I'm not asking you as an old friend, but as a desperate fugitive trying to keep his family safe." He indicated to his brothers, and the two innocent humans.

Rafael closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh, and Lucifer knew he had won.

"Very well...you may rest here." Rafael walked away from the door leaving it open for the brothers and humans to follow.

0

Rafael's house turned out not to be a house, but a hospital. An ER to be precise. Even in the large building there was hardly enough space for them to sit down. It was so crowded with patients in need of care. Rafael didn't speak to them for the rest of the day, mostly because he was too busy running from place to place answering call bells and ordering around fellow nurses.

Where Raphael looked small and almost frail when he'd answered the door, he exuded purpose as he fell into his element. Barking orders and bouncing from place to place.

As the night fell over the Celestial Realm the hospital seemed to only become more hectic, and Raphael showed no sign of slowing.

"When is the day done for him?" They asked Lucifer from the corner of their mouth.

"Oh Raphael doesn't sleep" Lucifer laughed as if it was a silly question.

"What a life" they mumbled as they watched the LPNs buzz around like bees in a hive.

"He wouldn't have it any other way" Lucifer smiled.

By the time they found a place to rest a ways away from the commotion, the night had reached its apex. A familiar softness floated on the air and the distant cooing of an owl could be heard. 

MC was getting better at sensing Michaels presence.

"Just show yourself and stop wasting my time" they sighed. Michael appeared from behind one of the sterile white walls of the building, wings still missing. 

"Tsk tsk" he said as he approached. "Thinking you can hide right under my nose? MC this is my backyard."

"You gonna turn us in?" They shot back quickly, they knew the answer.

"No...I can't have your demons caught before you denounce them, then you'd be in trouble too and that's just not fair." He circled them as he spoke. "None of this is your fault, MC, this isn't you."

"You don't know who I am." They said matter of factly.

"But that's the beauty of it!" He raised his voice in childlike joy. "I _do_ know the real you! Better than you do, you're but a fledgling after all. Because you were made to belong to me." He pulled a strand of their hand lightly as they spoke, admiring the shade as one might admire the teeth of a dog at a show. They were genuinely thrown by this statement.

"Belong to _you_?" They said incredulously.

"Yes, it all makes sense. He closed his eyes as he explained his logic. "You're a test for me, a trial of my faith and my ability to save others." He looked at them far too fondly. "And the reward?" He tilted their chin up and they flinched. "You my Lamb. The scripture tells you to submit yourself to me, as is fitting in the Lord."

MC actually almost puked, they felt bile rise in their throat, but instead of letting it become vomit, they spat onto Michaels shoes. The decorated angel stepped back in shock.

"I will submit to _neither,_ " they said coldly. He glared down at them.

"For now." He said simply "don't be afraid dear, you will understand in due time." With that he left them to their sleep.

* * *

~Raphael~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	33. Chapter 33

Though the hospital was a nice respite, getting Rafael to let them stay was an uphill battle.

"We're not equipped to accommodate long term patients, you get here, we fix you, you leave, that's how it works." He snapped irritably at Lucifer as he strode down the hallway.

"But we're not patients, we don't even need accommodations, just a place to hide." He persisted. Rafael chugged the rest of his Snapple and tossed the bottle into the garbage.

"Fine whatever I don't have time," he strode away leaving Lucifer as an afterthought.

The brothers made due, but not without contribution. They were always being pulled away to do something or another. Make this bed, take this to the east wing nurses station. The hospital seemed hopelessly understaffed and any time the opportunity arose the angels had no issues using the visitors for untrained manual labor.

The plans for confronting Michael were coming along, but there was still the problem that threw them in the first place.

"Humans are turning away from sin, we're weakening." Satan spoke solemnly, murmer's of agreement sounded around the waiting room they'd set up camp in.

"I dunno" Acacia chimed in "you guys seem pretty powerful to me, and there's 7 of you." She shrugged.

"Ah you got no idea doll" Mammon stretched his arms up, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair. "Back in my hayday I had 6,660,000 demons under my command. I was a big deal." He bragged. 

"Dang"

"Yeah!" Levi agreed, "I used to boil the oceans and command the tides, I'm a little out of practice now but it was cool back then. Mortals feared me and used to call me 'Hellmouth'" he straightened up proudly.

"Daaaang!"

"That's nothing," Belphie laughed. "I used to visit the humans a lot, and they worshipped me so hard they started getting executed for it. I claimed 24,000 souls without even lifting a finger." He brushed imaginary dirt off his shoulder.

"Ugh stop bragging all of you!" Asmo chirped, looking up from where he was painting his toenails. 

"Yeah" Satan agreed. "You guys can't do that anymore. We slacked off for too long and now none of us have worshippers." He grumbled.

"Satan's right, we need influence, we need numbers, and for that we need _humans_." Lucifer crossed his arms. The brothers seemed to agree with his statement as they started talking quietly and...not in English.

"Woah, why are we out of the loop all of a sudden?" Acacia looked at MC, they shrugged. Lucifer seemed to notice the humans were still there.

"Well if we told you how we conducted our business then we wouldn't be very demonic now would we." He said simply, before returning to the foreign language conversation...presumably Greek?

Acacia huffed and MC checked their notifications on their DDD.

New text messages...but the brothers were all right there? And so was Acacia? Who could possibly be…?

0

**Diavolo**

Come outside

0

MCs heart almost stopped. They'd forgotten about the Devildom prince. They'd left him and Barbatos to the mercy of Micheal and never looked back.

He was alive? He was _outside?_

Trying not to look too alarmed, they excused themself from the conversation and made their way to the exit.

0

Celestial Realm air was cool and dry and seemed to radiate light from the white vapor that swirled around. Trying to see anything was a doomed endeavor, so they resolved to sit tight and wait until Diavolo found them. 

Hand to their earring weapon just in case.

It didn't take long for the Devil to find the human. Humans were potent after all.

"It certainly has been a long time, hasn't it?" The familiar, overly jovial voice was too loud beside them and made them jump. Turning they could make out the large form of the former student council president.

"My Lord" they said curtly. He just gave them a very fake looking smile.

"Oh don't mock me MC. I hope you're happy, you've won after all." He spat, his entire demeanor slipping into something more sinister. More believable.

"I don't know what you–" 

"Of course you don't!" He loomed over them. "You weren't even trying! Yet you wormed your way in and took over everything like the parasite you humans are." His voice quieted and he backed off. This was perhaps scarier than the yelling.

MC wished they could tell him they were sorry, that they didn't know what they'd done to upset him and they wanted to make it right. But they did know.

And they weren't sorry.

"I know you think I stole from you." They started slowly, cautiously. "But he was never yours."

"You don't know what he was to me." He spoke each word in a staccato, "I gave him everything! I helped him when no one else would. He was _mine_ and you... you." He balled his hands into fists, looking more like a toddler throwing a tantrum than the future ruler of the underworld.

MC backed away slightly as the Lord's head hung and his face grew red with anger. His muscles were visibly tense in his demon form that left little to the imagination, and he was shaking. Finally he looked up and in a strangled voice said,

"What do you have that I don't?" MC could see he was beyond furious...and on the verge of tears.

They stared at him for a moment, they didn't have an answer after all. Finally they just decided they'd speak their mind, it wasn't like he was going to get any madder.

"What's with you big scary demons and your ownership fantasies?" 

His face didn't change, nor his posture. Angry and silently he stewed.

"He didn't owe you anything–"

"HE OWED ME EVERYTHING!!" Diavolo finally erupted. Hands slamming into MCs shoulders and crushing them against the wall behind them. "He owes me his _life_ ." Diavolo slammed them against the wall again. "He promised me his _service_." And again. "I demand that for which I've worked all these years. What belongs to me!" He roared.

MC saw stars as they tried to stay standing, multiple collisions to the back of their head from the wall causing their vision to swim and their knees to buckle. They didn't feel any pain, but they did feel a warm liquid running down their neck and shoulder blades.

They tried to reach for their weapon but their hands were blocked by Diavolo's arms, his fingers digging into thin human skin.

"That's quite enough" 

Diavolo's head snapped up at the familiar voice.

"Way to cut it close…" MC almost passed out mid sentence, proving their point.

"Setting aside for now that you're meeting with dangerous acquaintances behind my back, what are you doing outside MC? We're _hiding_." Lucifer scolded softly as he approached, coming into view behind Diavolo's right shoulder.

"Dangerous acquaintances?" Diavolo repeated in disbelief. Lucifer just put a hand on his shoulder and guided him away from the wall. Away from harming MC farther.

He seemed calm, why was he so calm?

"I am glad you came here my Lord, we are in need of help if we're to take down Michael." 

"What? Lucifer I came here for _you_. I came here to teach your pet a lesson and remind you of your duty to me." He said, baffled. 

"Yes and that's all well and good but it will have to wait" Lucifer raised a hand. "If we decide now is the time to parse out emotions and vendetta's then I'm afraid you'll leave here in multiple pieces old friend." He eyed Diavolo pointedly.

Now MC got it, it wasn't that Lucifer was being calm. It's that he was waiting. If he acted on his rage now he'd give them away and lose Diavolo's help.

"I wanna help too!" A new voice invaded the standoff at a most inopportune time. Leaning on Lucifer, MC looked into the mist to identify the voice.

He was the same as he'd always been. He was short but not young. Good but not nice. Small but not quiet.

He was different now, he wore black, he had horns, his cause had abandoned him before he had the chance to abandon it. His skin still healing from the heinous burns he'd suffered.

Yet he was still the same Luke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	34. Chapter 34

Luke scurried into MCs radius of view amongst the mist. His fall must've hurt him so badly he needed a Celestial hospital. Rafael had never been known to turn anyone away.

Luke was definitely different with the black clothing and general change in spirit, but his eyes were still those of an annoyingly yappy dog. 

Lucifer smirked down at the little demon, seeming to find mirth in the sight. Diavolo barely even acknowledged Luke's presence. MCs eyes were glued to Luke's hands, in one hand he held the horn Simon had used to call off the locusts all those months ago. In the other he held a suspiciously Celestial looking messenger bag.

0

The brothers examined the newcomers like dogs sniffing around a new pet hamster. Many teased and complemented Luke's new demonic appearance. Luke pretended it didn't bother him that he'd fallen, but he wasn't very good at pretending.

Diavolo's presence was met with tense avoidance. On the one hand the brothers had abandoned Diavolo in the Devildom to die. On the other, Diavolo tried to sacrifice MC then showed up and almost outright murdered them. No matter how much they insist they're fine.

Acacia tried her best to comfort Luke, he had been through something traumatic. She didn't understand why the brothers were so callous when they knew better than anyone how much it hurt to fall from grace. Mammon gained a bit of sympathy after Acacia yelled at him for it, but he still insisted being a demon wasn't that bad.

0

MC was fine. Raphael patched up what Diavolo had done so they were ok.

They were fine in the other way as well. They'd moved a lot and a lot had happened very quickly, but they were ok. They were relieved Acacia and Mammon had seemed to have formed a bond. Mammon was a bit flaky but he was a good guy and he'd make sure nothing happened to their sister.

They were ashamed to admit it, but sometimes they had fantasies of running away and having no responsibilities or people to rely on them. Every day Acacia grew more independent, and that fantasy became uncomfortably plausible.

They sighed in the sterile hospital room. The others were asleep one room over, they'd moved here to take a breather. Away from the planning and commotion. They idly folded the paper from the printer into paper cranes and stars. Coloring the sides to make small ornaments that will never be displayed. MC didn't make them to keep them after all.

0

Lucifer watched their hands from the doorway. The shape of each finger, the curve of the wrist as they delicately folded the paper. He'd watched those talented, calloused hands like this countless times. No matter where they were or what was available they'd always find a way to _make_ something. 

Those hands could weave string and mix color. Use any material they could reach. Such hands belonging to a human were beyond understanding, God had not gifted them these hands, these were skills they'd crafted themself.

Those hands had managed to hold him, teach him, something no angel or deity could ever claim. They could do _anything_ , and if they were to win this fight, he'd have to use that to his advantage.

"MC, a word?" He said softly so not to startle them. They put down the paper softly and turned to him expectantly, they'd probably already known he was there.

"Yes Lu?"

"I want to talk to you about your place in this operation."

"Oh so now I get to know how you scary demons do things?" They mocked lightly, Lucifer smiled.

"Well, we are nothing if not mindful of our faults…" he trailed off. "MC, I have a mission for you. Something I can only trust you with." This peaked their interest.

"Oh?"

"Yes...I need you to research the human's sins." He said. MC was confused for a moment. Then they understood.

"You need to regain your former strength." Lucifer nodded, silently praising their understanding. 

"I think understanding humans is the best chance we have to reverse the damage Michael has done. I can only trust you with this."

"Why not a brother?" They raised an eyebrow. Lucifer ran an ungloved hand through his meticulous hair.

"My brothers are a lot of things, but understanding is not among them. You are a human, these are your people." MC looked down in thought.

"My people…"

"Mammon, Beel, and Asmo are too easily distracted. Belphie and Satan resent me too much to leave a battle on my orders, and Levi's strength is needed here."

"What about Acacia?" They shot. Lucifer's lip curled back almost imperceptibly.

"If _you_ believe she can be trusted with this then by all means inlist her help. But I want you to be in charge of this, it is vital." He cupped MCs face in his hands. Their skin was flower petals against his exposed hands. "Tell me you will."

MC forgot to answer when Lucifer looked at them like that, like one might look at the night sky. Finally they found their tongue.

"Of course."

0

MC watched Lucifer's breathing slow until it steadied in sleep. They would not stay to see him wake. They tiptoed through the room, gathering their things and packing them into their jacket pockets. 

Life had given them responsibilities, one to their mother to be the talented child she wanted. One to Acacia, to help her escape and teach her she was not lesser because of the things that witch had said. One to the brothers, to show them how to get along and remind them to love each other. One to Lucifer, to understand and forgive his broken words, broken actions.

Now Lucifer had given them a responsibility. He had given them the biggest responsibility, an impossible task to solve an impossible problem. Swaying the human collective was something that happened by chance, less reliable than a lightning strike.

They sometimes had fantasies of running away.

Shaking their head to clear it they shoved the rest of their provisions in their coat. They slipped on their crocs and made their way towards the door.

Acacia would be fine, she was with Mammon.

"MC?" A small voice interrupted their flight. Looking back briefly, a pair of curious blue eyes met theirs.

"Luke, go back to sleep." They placated. But he just tucked his fluffy tail between his legs.

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"Out"

"Will you come back?"

MC had to pause, they didn't want to say too much, but they couldn't just let the poor kid worry.

"Sure"

Luke didn't look convinced, but that wasn't MCs problem. They left without another word.

0

When Lucifer woke the next morning MC was not beside him. The brief moment of panic was quelled by the thought that they had just gotten an early start on their assignment.

How oddly diligent for one who always wakes after Lucifer. He was not a morning demon after all. He'd probably find them in a few minutes.

20 minutes passed.

Ok obviously MC had left the hospital, it was an incredibly stupid idea but it may be their only way to research the situation. He would scold them upon their return, but ultimately he had to admire their guts. Shouldn't be more than a few hours.

He waited until nightfall.

Something was horribly wrong. They were trapped or captured or worse. He was pacing back and forth in the small room. If they were in trouble he had to go save them, but if they weren't he could give them away. His thoughts went in these circles as he wrestled with his indecisiveness.

Logic, he needed to find the logic.

"Satan!" He called his most analytical brother to help him sort out his dilemma.

"Yes?" He swung into the room at his brother's call. The two now on much better terms.

"MCs gone."

Lucifer told Satan everything, the assignment and how long he'd waited and how he couldn't follow them. Satan sat in thought for a moment.

"It must've been Michael!" Lucifer wanted to scream at the thought of his human in the hands of that obsessive maniac.

"No…" Satan said slowly. "Michael would've come to gloat about it by now, he's almost as proud as you." Lucifer had to agree, and it made his heart beat steady slightly. "It's more likely they were caught by a mouthy cherubim and they're being punished by **Him** as we speak.

Lucifer's panic broke out once more.

"How can you _say_ that?!"

"What? You wanted analysis. Besides, if MC had been caught by **Him** then **He** would've found us by now too." Satan raised his hands in a calming gesture. Lucifer sat down.

"So..? Where are they?" Lucifer asked so quietly Satan almost missed it.

"Have you considered…" he started before thinking better of it.

"What?"

"No it's nothing"

"Satan tell me" Lucifer growled, Satan gulped against his will and immediately felt himself cringe at it.

"I was saying, have you considered they just... ditched us?" He said it cautiously. Lucifer took a second before answering.

"You mean...you accuse them of running away?" His tone was like ice. Satan backed up a step.

"Well I mean– this isn't exactly a human scene Lucifer. You can't actually expect them to be ok with a Celestial battle. And then you put pressure on them on top of that." He was babbling as Lucifer stood slowly.

Had he been too hard on MC? Had he really pressured them into leaving? The thought sickened him, but not because he thought it was true, because he knew it couldn't be.

"No" he said simply, no malice in his tone.

"I know you don't–"

"Satan I'm not mad and I'm not in denial." He already knew what accusations his brother would come up with. He silenced them immediately. "I'm… I _trust_ MC. They told me they could do this and they wouldn't lie just to make me feel better." His tone was determined, it left no room for argument.

They would be back, no part of him doubted it.

* * *

~Demon Luke~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	35. Chapter 35

Satan was fine.

He'd never really liked that human anyway. If they were going to leave that was completely understandable. He left Lucifer to his denial and went to focus on more important things.

Luke's messenger bag turned out to be stolen from Simon. Inside were potions and spells and even orders straight from Michael. Luke was a bit embarrassed at having stolen from Simon, but he quickly shook it off with the idea that he was justified because he was a demon now.

Luke was doing that often. Just doing mild crimes because he could. He had stood next to the "no food allowed" sign to eat his lunch even though it didn't seem very comfortable. He'd borrowed a pen from Raphael and never given it back. He was honestly kind of adorable in his hijinks.

Satan took the bag to sort out its contents. He laid the miscellaneous items on a table and looked them over. There were plenty of useless things, two gold-wrapped herb bundles, 8 miniature glass vials, 3 scrolls yet to be opened, just to name a few. He couldn't focus on what was important and what wasn't, he was too distracted. Too busy wondering things. Things he shouldn't– _didn't_ care about.

Things like whether or not MC was ok. Why they would go this far with them just to bail at the end. Why They'd ditch them all when it was so unlike them. 

Had they ever been sincere? Had all their self-assured words and actions been a ruse and they only now decided to show their true colors?

He shook his head, he had to focus.

The horn might be worth something if they used it right. Perhaps they could call Abaddon for help, especially the sheer numbers of his locust swarm...

What could he have done to make them stay? Did he do something wrong?

Shut up, SHUT UP! He didn't care about the human that ditched them and he _didn't_ care about whether or he had driven them away...whether or not their friendship was real in the first place.

He was fine.

He sat down heavily and sighed. He could understand the humans unwillingness to fight a Celestial battle, he had no right to expect that kind of sacrifice.

But not even an explanation? Not even a goodbye?

He was often envious of them and their understanding. Their ability to shrug off irritation and always be there and be supportive. To both the brothers and their sister. He often thought of his brothers and how they'd never be so close of not for MC. He thought of MCs relationship to Acacia and how it almost paralleled Lucifer's responsibilities.

Knowing MC, had in a way, helped him understand his strict older brother better.

But they'd just abandoned Acacia to the battle. Abandoned her like an old jacket that no longer fit. Maybe they thought she'd be safer with the brothers, bit it was still _unforgivable._

"Hey Satan! Luke sai–" Mammon walked in the room without knocking. He stopped when he saw his younger brother slumped in his chair with the Celestial junk on the table before him. "Woah...you look miserable."

"Well I'm not, what do you want?" Satan snapped, harsh even for him. Mammon approached slowly.

"Hey...are you ok? Did something happen?"

"No"

"Don't make me bother it out of you." Mammon smirked and Satan winced at the threat.

In the past when Mammon wanted to get a secret out of one of his brothers he'd "bother" them until they broke. One time Satan had figured he could outlast Mammon's short attention span and took the challenge. This led to 6 straight days of Mammon persistently telling the same knock knock joke. The punchline was always orange...never banana. And he would continue relentlessly saying 'knock knock' until Satan gave in from exhaustion and said 'whos there'. Leading the endlessly repeating cycle to continue.

"No no bothering, Diavolo's sake." Satan gave in. "Fine...yes something happened." He grumbled. Mammon tossed an arm around his chair.

"Alright, tell big bro all about it. What's troublin' ya?" He said. Satan rolled his eyes so hard he saw into the future and actually witnessed his own death.

"MCs gone" he said. Mammon's whole demeanor shifted to one of fear.

"What? Gone? Who has them I'll kill him!" He growled. Satan just raised his hands to explain.

"They ran away Mammon, they got scared and ditched us."

The room went silent, Mammon's mouth fell open but no words came out. He closed it and opened it to try again, but still nothing. Finally he spoke.

"But...no they… they wouldn't…" his disbelief was fragile, and it broke when Satan gave him a mourning look.

"We shouldn't have expected they'd stay" he said solomnly.

0

Mammon was sad. He knew he was expecting a lot and being selfish when he wanted MC to stay with him. He knew he was even more selfish for taking their leave so personally.

But he couldn't help it. He was the Avatar of greed, and he wanted the world and he wanted it to cost nothing. He should've known it would just blow up in his face.

He trudged away from Satan's brooding-room to find Acacia. The least he could do was break the news to her gently, no one else was gonna do it.

He hated feeling like this, but it wasn't the first time. He'd felt this horrid sting of abandonment multiple times before. When his father cast him out for defending Lucifer. When Lucifer got so busy he stopped talking to Mammon, unless of course it was to yell at him.

He knew how to deal with this feeling by now, the key was gratitude.

Gratitude didn't come easily to one so greedy, but he could summon it when he really needed it. To calm his heart and feel whole again. So he thought about it.

He was grateful for those who were still in his life. His brothers, Satan working through denial to give them the best chance of success. Lucifer, working tirelessly for years to keep them together and still managing to have time to flay Mammon for his grades. Acacia, everpresent with a smile and an innapropriatly timed joke. 

He was grateful for this, but he'd also been grateful for MC before they left. Maybe everything good in his life was destined to leave.

Maybe he just drove people away.

He was just a stupidmammon after all, he couldn't even be an angel right. How was he supposed to focus on anything other than money when they paved the place with gold.

Reaching Acacias nook where she was charging her phone, he cleared his throat.

"Maaaaaaammon!" She called while shaking her head side to side vigorously. Her hair flying wildly around her. 

"Acacia I need to tell you something." Good start, good start, but then a chilling thought struck him.

What if she blamed him?

What if he told her this and she thought it was because MC was scared. Because he wasn't enough to protect them. He hadn't been enough during the exchange program or when they were trampled on earth or when they fell on the bridge. It was no wonder they'd run. Acacia looked up at him with wide, expectant eyes and Mammon choked. 

He couldn't just turn back now.

"MCs gone." He said in a strangled voice. Acacia tilted her head.

"Gone where?"

"Gone…" he couldn't elaborate. Acacia's curious face suddenly morphed to one of horror.

"They... they're dead?" The sounded disbelieving. Mammon immediately backpedaled.

"No no no they just ran away! They ditched us Acacia." 

The human looked at her hands in her lap, her hair obscuring her face. Silently she stood, her shoulders shaking slightly.

Oh no she was crying, he wanted to break this too her gently, but he'd obviously fucked it up. 

"Oh hey, Acacia I'm sorry. Don't–" but Acacia didn't listen, she walked slowly to the door. She looked up and Mammon saw she wasn't crying, she was just shaking.

Faster than he thought possible for a human, she slammed her fist into the drywall beside the door, leaving a sizable hole. With a roar of aggrivation she threw open the door and stomped down the hall. Leaving a confused and slightly scared Mammon in her wake.

0

Acacia was _Mad_. She had to take a walk and she had to do it now. Her body shook with energy and rage as she power walked through the halls of the hospital.

How _dare_ MC leave. How dare they...they...AAGH!

It was just the day before that Acacia had been panicking over the situation. She always had MC around to help with her anxiety attacks, and it was MC who told her not to be afraid. To trust that they would find a way to get through this.

How dare they run away. After telling her not to fear.

Acacia screamed incoherently and punched the air as she walked. MC had always been there, always _promised_ they'd be there. Then they just left? Without so much as a good bye? 

She was fuming so hard as she rounded the corner she almost ran over the small demon walking the other way.

"Hey!" Luke yelled in indignation before seeing Acacia's red faced anger. "Woah, what happened?" Acacia balled her hands into fists.

"MC ditched." She spat. Luke looked at her for a few moments.

"What a fucking meanie" he said a little hesitantly. Acacia blinked. "Yeah I say 'fuck' now" he crossed his arms and tilded his chin up. Obviously thinking himself very cool and edgy. Acacia almost laughed.

"Hell yeah little dude! What an absolute Fucking meanie. You said it." She pumped her fist as her anger turned more into reckless energy. Luke looked very proud at the praise. "You a little sinner now?" 

"Yep, and this is just the beginning!" He waved one finger in the air as he spoke. Acacia got a devious idea as she looked at the little trouble-maker-in-progress.

"Wanna go trespass?" She wiggled her eyebrows. Luke hesitated for a moment.

"Yeah?" He said cautiously.

"Alriiiiiight!" Acacia yelled and Luke started getting into it. "Screw everything let's _commit property damage_."

"Fuck it!" Luke chirped as the two went off to cause mayhem.

0

Lucifer was pensive. 

He knew MC hadn't ditched him. He knew it in his bones, his skin, his hair follicles. He was so sure they hadn't that he could practically hear MC laughing at the notion.

They were trying to do their job. Some way, somehow, they were gone because they had to be to complete their task. He was not suspicious of their intentions.

But he was afraid.

So many things could happen to them out in the Celestial Realm. So many horrible, inhuman things. Things he couldn't protect them from because he wasn't there, and he didn't know where they were.

He could only trust they could hold their own. They had Liliths bow, and they were smart, creative, alluring to a dangerous degree. And most of all, they were confident. That seems vague, but an unshakable self worth and resilience was the only defense a human could have against the pure aura of an angel. He had seen it when they'd faced Michael on the Petco roof, and he saw it every day when he looked in their eyes and they didn't look away.

If any one could survive out there. It was MC.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	36. Chapter 36

3 months

3 months MC had been gone. Off who knows where doing who knows what. They had been gone without a word, they were probably trapped somewhere. Or worse.

The brothers struggled, but eventually they accepted it. Though they couldn't deny there was a human sized void in their lives that Acacia shouldn't be trying to fill. No matter how much she thought she needed to.

Lucifer never gave up his trust that MC had left with the intention to return. He was, however, starting to believe they may have failed. Now they were unable to come back to him for one reason or another. It made his stomach turn that he'd let them go in the first place.

He should've held them tighter, kept them closer. Under his watchful gaze they'd never be in harm's way, nothing was so bold as to challenge Lucifer nor those under his protection. 

Now when he slept he did it alone, colder than stone and twice as harsh were his nights. When he ate he could hardly taste, what was the point if MC wasn't there to cook for him, to scornfully remind him he needed sustainence in the first place.

Technically as a demon he _didn't_ need it as much, but he never forsake a meal, or a nights rest. Even though they were gone he could still hear them telling him he was going to waste away if he didn't take care of himself. 

He believed them.

Now he stood on a sheer ocean cliff on Earth. In one hand he held the horn Abaddon had given Simon, in the other he held Acacia's hand.

Since MCs disappearance, Acacia had insisted she be present for any and all planning against Michael. She gripped his gloved hand awkwardly, but she wouldn't be the one to let go. She knew how Lucifer could be devious, and she wasn't going to let him descretely leave her behind.

Lucifer would never do such a thing to someone MC cherished so deeply, but if it made the silly girl feel better than so be it.

After three months of planning and hiding and outright _stalling_ for MCs return, he could no longer ignore that they were in need of help. An unhinged demon with a hoard of terrors at his beck and call would be a big help.

Swallowing his disgust he raised the larger end of the horn to his lips and called for Abaddon.

The horn made a sound like a thousand cicada's chattering in a field. The sound grew so loud with the hissing Acacia had to cover her ears.

The silence that crested after the cacophony was almost as deafening.

They stood on the hill for a few beats. Waiting, listening. It was only when their guards dropped for a moment that a voice from behind them made them jump.

"Tidings"

The two turned suddenly. It was impossible to startle Lucifer, but this man came dangerously close. Yellow eyes seemed to be crusted open, unblinking. His rectangular pupils drawing from one figure to another and back again. He licked his lips absently with a scaly black tongue.

" _Two_ birds on a wire." He said softly. "Why have you flown here? Why have you called me." He approached them in long rythmic strides as he spoke. Lucifer cleared his throat.

"The angels stole your hoard for their means, perhaps we can interest you in...revenge?" Lucifer's eyes narrowed at the reclusive demon. The latter just chuckled, it sounded more like clicking.

"Oh Helel...I am not a vengeful creature. If you have want of my assistance you must offer me something more…" He pressed two fingers hard into his temple. His wrist twisting unnaturally away from his skull. "... _substantial."_ Lucifer cringed, he had nothing to his name. "Need a suggestion?" The creep dropped his hand back to his side and tilted one big yellow eye right into Lucifer's face.

"You have a request?" Lucifer kept his cool, though the stench was near unbearable.

"Well I'm sure I could think of something...I waaaaaaaaant…" he spun in a slow circle as he drew out the word. "Hmm….how about that little pet always trotting after you?" He asked innocently. Lucifer wasn't surprised, everyone seemed captivated by MC and this wasn't the first time someone has demanded them. His brothers, Diavolo, Micheal, it was honestly a miracle they weren't kidnapped daily.

He couldn't blame them, he did the same thing did he not?

"That's out of the question." He said calmly. "Think of something else."

"Ah but now I've got my heart set on it Luci!" The proud demon cringed at the way Abaddon used the nickname. "Please?" He grinned an uncannily wide and brown-toothed smile. Acacia looked from Lucifer to Abaddon, surely he wouldn't actually consider the offer. 

Lucifer was thinking of something else...had Abaddon ever _met_ MC? Usually people would know them before they wanted them...what did Abaddon want with his human?

"Why?"

"Hm?" Abaddon looked back to him, as if he'd gotten completely distracted in the short time Lucifer was quiet.

"Why do you want MC?" He clarified. He'd never give them up, but his curiosity demanded an answer.

"Oh for the prestige of course!" He yelled. "To have a human pet of my own would make many a demon jealous, especially if it was Lucifer's _special_ human."

Lucifer's stomach turned. Everything about his words was sickening. The way he spoke, the condescending way he said his _special_ human. The intentions he had, and the way he refered to them as _it._ He shook his head slowly.

"You are a truly depraved bastard and you'll never have contact with them" he almost laughed as he said it. Abaddon just waved one hand at him and hid his oblong face.

"Oh you…" he cooed and Lucifer rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Acacia spoke up for once.

"Well Luci if you don't pay up you won't get my hel–"

"What is it Acacia?" Acacia looked at Lucifer and released his hand, turning to Abaddon.

"What about me?" Her voice only barely shook. Abaddon didn't know why Lucifer was letting the human chime in, but he decided to humor it.

"And...who are you?" He leaned in close, towering over the girl. His long, greasy locks falling down around his face and hers. Acacia gulped and resisted the urge to back up.

"Acacia what a–" Lucifer was interupted.

"I am Acacia, MCs sister. I am willing to go with you if a human's what you want so badly." Lucifer's choked on his words at the humans brazenness.

"Ohooooooo!!!" Abaddon crowed and jumped up and down. Clapping his hands excitedly. "A human of my own! Hi he ho!"

"Not quite." She cut him off. Lucifer was shocked by the bargain being made without his input. He should stop Acacia from negotiating with the crafty man. He had to keep her safe for MC while they were gone.

But they needed Abaddon's help, and if MC had taught him anything it was to respect a humans autonomy. Acacia could make her own decisions. 

He took a step back and watched the bargain unfold.

"What are you chattering about? No take backs!"

"Nah I'm not taking back anything" she raised her hands in a placating gesture. "But my service isn't unconditional." Abaddon huffed loudly.

"Lucifer y–"

"Ah ah" he stopped the greasy demon. "If you're to be negotiating the life of a human it is only fair you do it with said human."

"What does that mean?"

"It means eyes on the prize bucko" Acacia drew his attention back to her. "You wanna make a purchase you gotta talk to the owner, not the Uber driver who dropped her off." Lucifer decided not to comment on that... unorthodox comparison. Abaddon was amused, but participated.

"Very well, what are your terms, chickadee?" Acacia held up one finger.

"You and your hoard help get back the Devildom." She held up another. "Our contract is nullified in the event of any betrayal or tomfoolery." He rolled his eyes. She held up a third "and it is nullified in the event you no longer want me" she smirked. Abaddon grinned from ear to ear. Literally from ear to ear, his ears almost fell off.

"Is that all?"

"That's it." She confirmed.

Lucifer starred between the two parties. This sounded like a horrible deal. But the confident look not often seen on Acacia's face made him believe she knew what she was doing. He held his tongue.

Abaddon didn't seem to be suspicious, why would he be of a dumb human? He grabbed Acacia's hand and pulled her towards him, turning to Lucifer again.

"Alright, you have my support."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	37. Chapter 37

"You did _what?"_ Mammon had been pacing and yelling for quite a while, and he didn't show any sign of letting up.

"I already answered that," Acacia said in exasperation.

"I just...I can't believe... _HIM?!_ " Mammon pointed wildly at Abaddon who was watching him freak out in mild amusement.

"Yeah we needed help" she shrugged. Abaddon chuckled in low clicks. 

"Don't worry Magpie, I'll take good care of her." He winked suggestively and Mammon bared his teeth.

"Grrrrrrrr you won't be anywhere _near_ –"

"Mammamamamman!" Acacia cut him off. "Knock it off, I got this." She smacked his ass as she walked past him to Abaddon. He jumped at the brazen action and his face went completely red as he watched her walk passed.

"We should probably be goi–" Abaddon started.

"Come on we got things to do!" She commanded with a wave as she strode past him. Abaddon rushed her, low to the ground like a centipede. When he reached her he drew up to full height and looked down at her, snarling menacingly.

"You do _not_ make demands pet, you obey me." Acacia just rolled her eyes.

"Come on, now." She repeated.

"You can't just–"

"Ah! Nowwww"

"YOU INSOLENT C–"

"Come on greasy, times a wastin'" she turned on her heel and continued on her path. Abaddon stared flabbergasted after her.

"Hey wait! You can't just walk away from your master" he called pathetically as he ran after her.

Mammon had held in his laughter while he watched the exchange, but seeing the unhinged and widely feared Abaddon brought down to chasing his human was too much. He fell to the ground he laughed so hard.

Obviously Acacia was gonna be just fine.

0

_Three months ago_

If only they had wings of their own, it would make the fall much easier to handle. They'd jumped and landed for water but it didn't look like they'd be so lucky. The ground grew closer and their heart raced faster, they wouldn't survive the impact.

But they couldn't fail, they had to live, they would do just about anything to ensure their survival. They needed help, oh who could help them now? They prayed for help, any mirrical or Deus ex machina to get them out of this. 

Naturally, they were answered.

The wind itself seemed to slow their descent, rapping around them like a blanket and promising protection. They slowed to the point that touching down was as soft as a feather landing. Carefully they lowered themself to their knees and thanked whatever entity was their salvation. 

They felt an unseen hand give two light pats on their head. A warm smile in the breeze told them exactly who had come to their aid.

Lilith always loved them without restraint.

Now they were safe on Earth, far from the brothers who'd been their family, far from Acacia who probably still needed them. They shook their head, fixating on their decisions would help no one. They had to move forward, a lot of work had to be done if they were to re-acclimate into society.

0

The brothers knew their roles. Abaddon and his locusts were at their disposal. Diavolo and Luke hadn't betrayed them so far. There was no getting around it, Lucifer thought to himself.

Now was the time.

MC was given a task, one that was challenging he'd admit, but they'd been gone too long. He'd postponed for too long. Eventually he'd just have to accept that they had failed.

"Family meeting!" He called, and everyone started gathering at the familiar words. "We have all we can get to ensure our victory." He spoke, the brothers looked around at the people they'd managed to gather. 

Abaddon was practically bowing he was bent so low, Acacia standing next to him with a smug grin. Diavolo hadn't spoken much to anyone but Lucifer, but his strength would be a serious help. Raphael listened from the edge of the room, not a part of the plan but still curious. All their allies were present except for one.

"We can no longer delay our attack, be ready at dawn."

0

As the sun rose on the Celestial plain, Michael was well prepared for the coming attack. He'd been spying on the brothers' proceedings since the day they'd set foot in his land. He was overjoyed when MC decided to run away from the fight. 

The brothers thought they were still in the Celestial Realm, but Micheal had followed them and Michael knew they'd fled to earth.

And there they waited for him. Once the battle was over and he had brought the brothers to justice he could go and claim his reward. He was practically trembling at the thought. 

Now he waited, sword in hand, angels at his command, for the brothers to dare begin the fight that would surely be their last.

0

There were thousands of them. Angels of all Creed's and strengths at Michael's command. Lucifer was the only one standing before them, the rest of his forces scattered across the Celestial Realm ready to make their move. 

Michael chuckled down at the fallen angel. The one who'd always been the Father's favorite. The one who **He** has made to be smarter than Michael, wiser than Michael, purer than Micheal. The Father had created Micheal to match Lucifer only in power, to keep him in check should his pride grow out of hand. Today Michael would prove he was superior.

Today **He** would see which of them **He** should have faith in.

"Dominions! Take the Powers of the air and water to meet the demons of envy, gluttony and wrath. Take the Powers of fire and Earth to greet the demons of lust, sloth and greed." As he gave his orders and the Dominions and Powers departed, he turned back to the deceptively solitary Lucifer. 

"Principalities, tell the angels we have already won. For Lucifer has come to face me alone."

0

Levi sat in wait over the water.

His pets were at his call, yet still he felt vulnerable. His job, along with Beel and Satan, was to draw the Powers to the East. Belphie, Mammon, and Asmo waited to draw the powers West. Separating Michael from his forces was the best way to ensure Lucifer could defeat him, especially when they were weakened by the lack of human support.

He saw the Dominions approaching on the horizon. So many swarmed the air even the heavenly light from the sky was blocked. Like bats swarming and swooping for prey. 

Levi stood strong and tried not to be afraid. His pets had never failed him, he had two of his brothers at his side, and if the worst came they could rely on Abaddon's locusts for help and even cover should they need to escape.

"Levi! The serpent!" Satan pulled him out of his thoughts. Levi snapped around.

"He has a _name!_ "

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME!!!"

Geez fine, Levi raised his hands and reached for Henry 1.0s mind. He'd called the loyal snake before many thousands of years ago. He was out of practice, but the snake knew his call. The tide swirled and displaced with the volume of the beast rising from it. 

The snake arched up sending billions of gallons spraying, dampening the wings of the assailants and sending many of them plummeting to the punishing depths. 

"Yaaah!! Good boy Henry!!! Get em silly noodle." Levi cooed as if he was talking to a puppy and not a trillion ton harbinger of serpentine death. Even with the snakes assault the majority of the angels continued their descent. 

And the battle began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	38. Chapter 38

Lucifer was faster than Michael, and without any backup it was his only advantage. The angel wasted no time trying to run him through, as he had wanted to do for millennia, but Lucifer was already behind him. His wings provided a vertical battlefield the grounded angel couldn't reach.

Michael swung with fury, but Lucifer moved with precision. Michael dodged with speed, but Lucifer struck with purpose. It was mere minutes they fought through an obvious stalemate, but it felt like decades. This was the end of the roads they'd both chosen, always destined to oppose each other. 

The only significant difference between them was Michael was expected to win. Every angel in the Celestial Realm expected it, Lucifer's own father had planned it. 

Even Lucifer knew deep down he couldn't face Michael alone. He was too weak from his fall, his lack of human influence, his years of stress and heartache. He was too weakened by his cursed  _ life _ to assume he could defeat someone still fresh and in the Father's favor.

The years had humbled him, his humiliation was so thorough and absolute it felt as if  _ it  _ were the true reason he was created.

But as Michael started to gain an edge, as Lucifer felt himself losing ground. He knew he was still their best bet. If he didn't defeat Michael, his brothers didn't stand a chance. Even United they'd never matched Lucifer's power and skill. It's how he managed to keep them in check for all those lifetimes.

For the Devildom, for the demons who were driven from it, for his brothers. He couldn't afford to lose this one.

So when Micheal swung his sword in customary fighting form, Lucifer showed no etticut. He used no tact or grace, he used claws and teeth and threats. Anything for the edge, anything to frighten Michael into weakness. Perhaps he'd be too scared to fight, if he knew what the devil really looked like.

But Lucifer was growing slow, and his wings were large and unprotected. They were once an asset, but now they were the perfect weakness.

Lucifer hardly even saw as Michael faked a left dodge and immediately darted back. One hand holding his sword, thrown out for balance. The other reaching for Lucifer's neat black feathers. His fist grasping the soft appendage roughly, a dirty tactic for an angel.

Lucifer's cry of shock was like a fox's. Loud, haunting, and just off from being recognizable as human.

He hit the ground hard when Micheal threw him. His weight and height were his downfall. He was getting to his feet practically the next instant, but it wasn't fast enough. Michael pressed a metal boot to the center of Lucifer's chest, pinning him to the soft ground.

No.

Failure was not an option. He had his family, the fate of the Devildom, if he lost then no one would be spared. Michael would slaughter every demon, every ally they'd gathered. They'd be worse than dust without Lucifer.

MC would never know what happened to them.

Michael pointed the tip of the Celestial sword to Lucifer's chest, but he didn't stab. He grinned madly as he dragged the blade over the cloth of his shirt. Tearing it easily and slicing the flesh beneath.

"Does it hurt to be carved like a roast old friend? Corrupting innocent humans and seducing them to do your bidding is your crime, and I think this is barely any punishment for something so heinous."

Lucifer would not grimace against the pain. If he were to die, if all hope were to be lost, he would at least hold onto the one thing he'd kept through the years of struggling and suffering.

His forsaken pride.

He held his breath and made no movement as Michael made sliced veal of him. Sick enjoyment twisting his features as he worked.

"Look, the star bleeds just like a pig. Fitting since you'll die like one Helel!" 

Lucifer would not comment. But he allowed himself an internal complaint. A whine that even sounded pathetic in his head, the plea of why Michael couldn't just  _ finish it _ already. He knew this feeling of blackness creeping at the edges of his vision. The feeling of sickness curling in his chest like smoke and the world beginning to spin.

He was almost grateful as he lost consciousness. 

0

Michael watched the life drain from Lucifer's face as his eyes fluttered closed beneath him. For a blissful moment he believed the bastard actually died from the torture. Of course he'd be too stubborn to just go quietly. With a sigh Michael raised his sword.

Bringing the wide arch down his heart almost stopped when his swing was interrupted by a sharp  _ clang. _

Before him stood a warrior he wasn't familiar with. Their stance was strong and practiced, and they blocked his swing with a sword identical to his own. Taking a step back, and consequently off the fallen Lucifer, he got a better look at the stranger.

Their hair curled lightly on their brow. They stood strong and straight against the ground, over the unconscious body like a guardian angel. Their hands, small and calloused, gripped their sword in front of them prepared to defend themself. Their eyes held the seraphim's gaze with dignity and without hesitation.

They were like a mural, standing with the lights of the realm dancing in their hair, shining off the sweat on their temple. No armour or wings but angelic none-the-less stood his MC.

"MC! You're supposed to be hiding on Earth. Get out of here before you get hurt." MC held their ground.

"I was on Earth, but I wasn't hiding." They said coldly. They stood with their feet far apart and one hand thrown out to the side for balance. Sword raised in a manner both threatening and protective of their face and body.

They'd been training.

0

MC tried not to look at their unconscious lover as he slept on the ground. Their suspicion had been correct, the bow had become a sword not a shield. That meant they'd have to fight. 

Taking the offensive they lunged forward, using their weight in their attack. Michael was caught off guard but recovered quickly, blocking MCs attack and continuing to play defense.

"I won't attack you MC, you don't know what you're doing."

"Oh really?" They chased him around a corner and whipped around to slice again. "Because it looks like I'm about to chop you in half." They gloated. Michael almost laughed.

"The only reason you're still alive is because I'm so merciful." He chuckled as if fighting MC was equatable to racing a small child and letting them win.

"I know, but nonetheless we're still doing this" they were starting to pant now. They only had to keep it up for a little while.

"It's actually hilarious." He breathed. 

"Me trying to fight you?" They guessed as they swung, burying the sword into a wall before pulling it out and continuing their assault.

"No, the fact that Lucifers fallen so far" his sword blocked MCs and they stayed locked there as he looked at them directly. "To need to be rescued by a human."

MC had promised themself they wouldn't rise to any of Michaels taunts. But they'd circled back so the spot where they'd left Lucifer was behind Michael. Over his shoulder MC saw shapes moving, air shifting, they knew what it meant, they'd lived with him after all. They'd promised they wouldn't talk back, but that was when Micheal was addressing them. This time he'd disrespected Lucifer.

With a shove, so purposeful and sudden it surprised the angel, MC knocked his sword arm back over his head. 

"I'm not here to  _ rescue _ him" their tone was low as a whisper and deadly as a cobra. They pressed the tip of their sword to Michaels throat, keeping his hands above him. 

"I'm here to distract  _ you." _

At that very moment MC dropped to the floor for cover. Michael was confused for only a heartbeat before a force like a freight train came from behind him. Knocking him over MCs head and into the wall they'd embedded their sword in.

Lucifer folded his wings back to his sides and held out a hand to help the human up. He wanted to scold them for stepping in, to tell them he hadn't needed their help and they shouldn't have been anywhere near the fight. 

But they'd saved his life.  _ Again.  _

He was over telling them what they could and couldn't do. Every time he did they just proved him wrong. And he hoped they never stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you liked it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	39. Chapter 39

"You came back" was all he said as he helped the human stand. They brushed themself off and addressed him.

"I did what you said. It wasn't easy but I got the humans to sympathise." They said, as if speaking to a commander. Lucifer just stood unblinking. "I pitched and co-developed an app that became popular and influenced...well I'm sure you don't want the details, but the humans are embracing their sins again. Embracing _you guys_. I know it took me a long time but I ne–" he cut them off by pulling them close.

He wrapped his arms around them and almost fainted again as his heart beat wildly. Just seeing them had made his knees weak but hearing them again, _holding_ them again, it was almost too much. He felt his wings come around to shield them in the silent selfish hope they'd never leave him again. He felt how small they were in his arms, how they were so soft and frail, their human bones like that of a birds in his hands. Like the most fragile of crystal.

And yet they were stronger than he was. So resilient and striking they couldn't possibly be contained in a shape so mortal. He missed this feeling, of holding them and appreciating them. The feeling they'd taught him to seek.

"You came _back"_ he repeated. Nothing else needed to be said.

Michael rose slowly so not to alert the reunion. Approaching, he tried to figure out how to get his MC out of the devils grip. They were wrapped so snuggly and shielded by an endless void of obsidian illustrious feathers. Any hope of retrieving them by force was off the table.

He decided his only option was to try to reach their heart one last time. Before he was forced to give up on them.

"MC." He started quietly. "Step away from the demon."

Lucifer tightened his grip, but only for a moment. He saw MC look at Michael with utter contempt and decided they could handle this. He released them and they didn't step away.

"Human I'm telling you, you are under an evil influence, you aren't in your right mind." He pleaded. MC realized this wasn't like the first couple times they'd faced Michael. There was no bodily reaction of trust or sympathy. Only their own cold hatred coursing through their veins.

"You don't know my mind, that is your mistake." They said simply. His pleading turned to thought which turned to rage.

"You think you're above an angels guidance?! You think you know better than I?" He stomped the ground like a petulent child. MC didn't feel the need to respond, but Lucifer's was being pulled into the past at the familiar words.

_If the human did not want his guidance, his protection..._

"Fine! Rot with the other human sheep for all I care!"

_...then they could die out there with the other cattle for all he cared_

"One day you'll realize all I've done has been for _your own good_."

_Your own good_

_Please understand it's for their own good_

_This is for your own good, Lucifer._

It was a cycle. How long had it gone on? God oppressed Lucifer, Lucifer oppressed Michael, Michael oppressed MC. How had it gone this far?? All for the sake of it being for _their own good._

No one knew what they needed except for them.

Taking MC by the waist again he spread his wings and pushed off the ground. Away from the Celestial Realm, away from the madman who reminded Lucifer too much of himself. Away from the world and all the people who believed they knew what was right and what was wrong. Right to the Crux of the issue. The cause of the pride and the possession and the abuse.

He flew them to confront his father.

0

Thousands upon thousands of powers laid slain. The locusts had to be called and laid in heaps of corpses as well. The stench was enough to choke but still Mammon stayed standing. 

None of the brothers had fallen according to his knowledge, and he could feel a strength he didn't have before seeping into his skin.

Over the months it had been growing. So slowly it was hard to notice, but it was obvious out in the field. His energy was boundless, his magic was strong to the point of feeling youthful as he one felt. He didn't know how but he did know why.

MC had succeeded. 

Some way in some twisted method, their running away had given the brothers back the powers they once had. They were strong and feared once more.

And they reveled in it.

With just a flick of his tail Levi could bring storms and rain down on the battlefield, turn the oceans to blood and boil them. Satan could shake the ground with his screams alone. The powers went deaf and blind from his howls so they could no longer take the Dominions orders. 

Asmo charmed so many of the enemy that half the attacking force had doubled back to attack itself. Asmo simply sat and watched in pampered glee as tens of millions of soldiers proclaimed their loyalty and went whole heartedly to their demise.

Acacia sat at Abaddon's side, or more precisely, Abaddon sat at her side. The formidable demon was rendered powerless against the humans poor humor and boundless lack of social awareness. 

He'd threaten her and she'd laugh. He'd try to please her and she'd get offended. All the while she acted as if he was the pet and not her. It was frustrating to no end and Abaddon found he could not escape.

All his attempts to ditch her or ignore her were met with unrelenting pestering. Her confidence in his servitude kept him there almost by his own will. He was losing himself, drowning in her overwhelming _personality_.

Acacia was doing okay, Abaddon was easier to break than she thought and now it was just a matter of waiting it out until he wanted her gone. But she was worried.

Mammon was out there, she still hadn't heard from MC, and she was in the middle of a battle.

Well she wasn't in the _middle_ , more like she was watching a battle. From the hospital. With a greasy goat man and his pet plague.

"Aaaaaaiiiieeeeeee!!" Abaddon's scream cut the silence and made her cringe. "Marie! Marie! Oh my poor girl!" Acacia looked into the distance where the demon was pointing wildly and saw a figure fighting a large locust. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the baseball bat she'd brought for emergencies. Reaching the figure she stopped mid-swing.

He was a human.

The human threw a hand up. "Stay back, this thing is one of Abaddon's locusts." 

"I know."

"Then you know to stay out of my way unless you want a swift end."

He wore strange clothes, black with golden trim, and he transitionee from English to a strange tongue as he spoke some kind of spell. After the spell was spoken the locust burst into flames. A distant "MARIEEEEEEE!!!!!!" Could be heard over the crackling.

"Stop that! Those are my dudes pets." She scolded, but the human man just looked at her incredulously.

"You're in league with the demons?"

"Well you're in league with the angels" she countered.

"Touche." He said. His compliance was a little too quick...shady.

"Who _are_ you?" she asked, pointing her baseball bat threateningly.

The boy tossed white hair out of his face and started walking away.

"Soloman"

* * *

~You Came Back~


	40. Chapter 40

"Soloman?"

The stranger didn't answer, he just kept meandering away. Acacia jogged to keep up.

"MC told me about you, you're a sorcerer right? I thought you–"

"Wait you know MC?" He stopped and addressed her finally. Acacia wasn't surprised, most people didn't give her the time of day unless she brought up her sibling.

"Yeah I'm their sister. We're here with the 7 Avatars to try and get back the Devildom." She explained, Soloman looked thoughtful.

"Simon didn't say anything about the brothers being in this fight, he just said some rogue demons were causing trouble and he could use my help." He said, shaking his head slowly.

"Yeah and–" suddenly her DDD started buzzing. "Hold that thought." She took it out of her pocket, it was Mammon. Upon answering it many voices shouted at once, none of them intelligible.

"Guy guys shut up" Mammon's voice rose above the group call. "I need all hands on deck gah!! get everyone you can find and meet me by the west pillars" there was background noise of shouting and clanking, Mammon sounded like he was struggling.

"What's going on?" She asked frantically, Mammon had to collect himself before he could continue. 

"Lucifer didn't defeat Michael. He's still  _ WOAH _ . I can't talk, just send backup fast." Then the line went dead. Acacia stared at her ddd.

Lucifer didn't defeat Michael? He'd lost? Did that mean he was… no, he couldn't just die.

She looked up and saw Soloman was staring at her, but he was being pressured to leave by someone she hadn't seen approach.

She'd met Simon a few times, but the angel seemed downright panicked as he tried to make Soloman flee. Soloman just continued staring, not really noticing the angel's attempts.

"Lucifer... he's dead?" He said incredulously. It didn't sound right, didn't sound possible. 

"We...we don't know that." But her voice held no certainty. She remembered Mammon, the strain in his call for help. Her heartbeat sped up and she started feeling fidgety. 

Was Mammon facing that monster  _ alone? _ If Lucifer couldn't even beat him then Mammon didn't stand a chance. She had to get Abaddon and go help. She turned on her heel before stopping herself. She turned back and addressed the two still present.

"Are you guys going to help?" She asked sharply. Soloman didn't answer but Simon jumped at the question.

"No! I mean I really wish we could but Micheals just...too much. Even with help we don't stand a chance." Soloman nodded in agreement.

"No, none of that," she said, tired of the angels' games. " None of this wishy washy 'oh we're on your side but not really' garbage. Mammon said  _ all hands. _ Lucifer failed and probably died for this battle." She was growling now. "You gotta shape up or ship out right now." She got in their faces, her short stature and aggressively close stance giving her the appearance of a strike posed cobra.

"This plan is ride or die so you're either helping or you're wasting precious time  _ I _ could be helping. I want a one word answer, in or out." She finished. The two blinked before sharing a look.

Soloman thought he knew what was going on. He found entertainment in getting information from his pacts and teasing others with that information. But this was a whole war he didn't know about, one his friends were fighting right under his nose. Now they were in danger,  _ Asmo  _ was in danger. With a nod he addressed the aggressive little girl.

"In."

Simon looked at Soloman like he was a madman. He probably was, but Simon was a good person. He wanted to keep his friends safe and stop all the bloodshed. There was a point where he had to admit Michael was a lunatic and Simon probably shouldn't be taking orders from him.

"...in" he said hesitantly. Acacia nodded once.

"Then follow me"

0

Mammon was in  _ way  _ over his head. Lucifer was scary enough with his composed and precise punishment. But Micheal was just as powerful and infinitely less careful. He swung his sword in wide, unhinged Arch's, his hair fell in his face and his teeth were bared making him look like a feral possum.

Michael had lost them. They were just there within his grasp and Lucifer had swooped in and stolen them  _ again. _ He was so angry his limbs burned. His jaw clenched and wouldn't unclench. He just wanted to destroy everything he saw, and Lucifer's beloved brother was a perfect place to start. He laughed gleefully as he swung his sword, forcing the demon farther and farther back. 

He'd had the greedy bastard against a wall with his sword raised when the cavalry apparently arrived. Mammon visibly sighed in relief as his brothers rushed to his aid. The wrath of the sky and the ground and the tides was wielded by the newly rejuvenated brothers. Michael countered all of it with ease until Diavolo showed up. 

The man was angry, he'd lost his kingdom, his best friend, and he was more than ready to take it out on an emotionally unstable seraphim. The shadows themselves seemed to rise up and trip Michael. Gripping at his armour and dragging him back to the Devildom prince.

Mammon took the opportunity to rest for a moment, he hadn't fought Michael alone for long, but he was still more than winded. He sat on the soft ground with his head between his knees trying to regain his strength. He listened to the sounds of the brothers ganging up on Micheal like it was his favorite song. Michael still held the advantage over the brothers and the prince, until some unexpected newcomers crashed.

"Now it's a party!" Asmo cried gleefully as Soloman rushed to his side in the fight. Spells on his tongue and fire in his fingers. Simon seemed hesitant at first but decided his best roll was helping the injured recover. In that sense, he started with Mammon. Healing whatever small injuries he'd sustained and suppressing his fatigue. Mammon was just about ready to jump back in when a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Wha? Ah! Acacia! You shouldn't be this close what's the matter with you?" Acacia just leaned close and kissed him lightly. Not hesitant, just soft. Mammon felt his head get so light he thought he'd float away. When she pulled away there were a few moments where his tongue became an untrained seal and he couldn't express any coherent words. Acacia just ruffled his hair and stepped back.

Mammon suddenly felt as powerful as Lucifer. Whipping around towards the fight he thought, this must be her way of saying 'thanks for not dying'.

He'd spend a million years not dying if it meant he'd get to kiss those lips again.

0

They squinted on instinct in the blinding light of the upper Celestial Realm. Seeing where they were going was completely pointless so they just trust Lucifer to navigate.

MC didn't know what they'd expected. Perhaps some kind of guard or gatekeeper, but the Lord was not hidden.  **He** did not have any preamble or even a throne. He just stood and looked out into the distance. His body turned away from the approaching guests. He was so tall his face was completely out of view. He wasn't large...or small...or anything really, any opinion based on appearance simply did not stick in their head, instead it slipped through like water through their fingers.

Lucifer landed before the man and staggered backwards, as if realizing what exactly he was doing.

How could he bring them here? How could he  _ show his face here? _ He was disgraced and banished and yet he just flew up here as if it were a normal weekend visit. He'd never really contemplated how easy this would be.

MC didn't know how to feel. They were literally standing looking at their creator. The man responsible for all of the laws of the world. They looked at him and realized...he looked like he was incomplete.

Yes there was definitely something... suspicious about his ambiguous appearance. As if it hasn't been decided yet what he should look like. They kept the thought to themself.

Upon their arrival he simply spoke.

"You've come here for answers."

They couldn't deny it, so they didn't. MC decided silence was the best option for them, instead letting Lucifer speak to the figure he called father.

"Y-yes" he spoke quietly. Never had MC heard Lucifer stutter. The implication sent shivers down their spine.

"I suppose you deserve your answers since you've come so far. Go on then."

"I...we…" Lucifer was actually sweating now, what was he  _ thinking _ . He had nothing to say, he hadn't thought this through at all! He stared at his shoes like a nervous child giving a presentation. MC decided to try their hand at rescuing him.

"Why did you order Michael to take the Devildom?" A simple enough question. 

"So my son's would come home." He said sadly. Lucifer visible cringed.

"Why do you want them home after you banished them?" They pressed. Lucifer was actually starting to panic now. Trembling, he sat on the ground to avoid collapsing. No one commented.

"So they could help me reclaim the earth." Now MC was shaken, that's a foreboding answer.

"What does that mean?" They asked.

"I wish to destroy this and start over." he said. 

MCs face went white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	41. Chapter 41

MCs face went white. 

Start over? As in kill them all? 

"Y-you can't do that. We all still live down there we...we have lives and jobs and…" they realized  **He** was no longer listening. They balled their fists. "You have no right!"

"No right?"  **He** raised his head but didn't turn around. "I am the creator of your world child, I am the only one with a right."  **He** spoke with no anger in his voice. Only understanding. MC pressed harder.

"I don't think you are."

"You think I'm not your creator? Then tell me  _ who _ made you." 

They thought for a moment, technically it was their mother, but not really. She birthed them, and she tried hard to mold them into exactly what she wanted, but in the end she failed. They'd taken Acacia and run away, building their own life. That was their answer.

"I did." They said soundly. Lucifer looked at them out of the corner of his eye. How could they just stand there and  _ say things _ to  **Him** ? Why was he too weak to?

"Really?"  **He** said softly. "Then who made me?" That was a more difficult question. If  **He** wasn't god then someone made him. They looked at the specter and couldn't bring themself to believe  **He** was god. They'd never believed in god before.  **He** was a figure created by man to explain things, to affirm their morals, to send their prayers to.

Perhaps the thoughts and beliefs of the humans were so real that  _ they  _ created  **Him** . If that were the case then the answer would be the same.

"I did." They said again, softer this time. Lucifer almost cried from embarrassment, what the everloving fuck was the human talking about? But  **He** just hummed in thought.

"Well child, if you made me and you made you...wouldn't that make  _ you  _ God?"  **He** asked. They could tell the question was meant to trap them, to show them how silly their logic was, but they didn't see the flaw. They just doubled down.

"Yes it would." That seemed to throw  **Him** , as much as one could throw a deity.  **He** thought for a long moment.

While he paused, MC crouched beside the uncharacteristically upset Lucifer.

"You good?"

" _ No _ " was his only haunted response.

"Yeah I figured."

"How do you...and I can't…" his words came in heavy panicked pants. MC seemed to understand regardless.

"Yeah you're kinda struggling, but that's normal cause this is traumatic." They shrugged and stood again at  **His** address.

Traumatic?

How were they not feeling the guilt? The oppressive feeling that you've betrayed someone who loved you unconditionally? How were they unaffected? Perhaps being near his father was harsher on him because he used to be an angel.

"Alright child," the many voices spoke. "You are mistaken, but I forgive you for that."

"Mistaken?" They asked. "About you not having the right to destroy my home?" 

"I will make the Earth again, I will make it better. You are mistaken about many things."

"What if I can prove it?" They shot back.  **He** turned slightly but said nothing. "I can prove you don't have the right because I can prove you didn't make me." They straightened their posture and steeled their resolve, if they were going to make this work they had to be thorough.  **He** chuckled.

"How do you plan to do that?"  **His** tone wasn't harsh, just mirthful,  **He** found MC funny.

"I have a bet for you." They said carefully. It was risky to bank off the personality of Lucifer to get a read on  _ God _ , but it's the only comparison they could really draw from. A God has to be at least a little proud, would  **He** rise to the challenge?

"Alright, what are the terms of this bet?"  **His** tone slipped so imperceptibly a mortal couldn't notice, well, a mortal who didn't already know that tone from  **His** son. The tone of slight condescension. They were right, now they had  **Him.**

"If you win I'll leave, Lucifer and his brothers will stay here with you. They will never question you again. You can remake Earth however you please with your son's by your side." They said methodically.

"Excuse me?!" Lucifer looked up at them with a murderous expression. They dare sell his and his brothers lives for a stupid bet? They pet his hair lightly, not taking their eyes off his father. A silent promise that they knew what they were doing, a plea to trust them.

"My son's back home without question?"  **He** repeated. "That's worth more than you know...and what do you ask for in return?"

"If I win I want the Devildom to be given back to the demons, I want the earth left as it is and…" they'd only asked for things to go back to how they were. They were risking a lot so they wanted to ask for something selfish, something just for them. "And I want to live with my family... forever." They finished.

**He** pondered the terms.  **He** was willing to risk his earth project, but making them immortal could pose some issues. Especially since  **He** knew their "family" incompased both the brothers and their human sister.  **He'd** have to make her immortal as well.

In the end it wasn't even a risk,  **He** couldn't lose a bet with a human.  **He'd** made them, sculpted them from the soil and given them life. There was nothing they could do or say that  **He** didn't know.

"I agree to your terms. What is your 'bet'?"

Now was the determining moment, they had to make this as clear as possible.

"Would you say everything you make loves you?" They asked. They knew where they were going, they just had to bait  **Him.**

"Nothing has reason not to love me."  **He** was deceptively humble.

"If you made someone, they love you no matter what. Just look how Lucifer cowers after he disappointed you."

Lucifer did not appreciate MC using him as an example, but he held his contempt in. It was obvious whatever they were doing was delicate.

"You must speak franky child, no more questions."

"I bet you can't make me love you." They said coldly.

Silence.

**He** said nothing as he pondered the declaration. Their heart hammered heavily in their chest. Whether  **He** made them or not,  **He** could squash them like a bug.

"When I gave you your first breath, you cried."  **He** said. "I've seen many children cry, but it always breaks my heart. It still breaks my heart when you cry." 

They nodded.

"When you left your mother I thought of sending you a guardian angel, but you just seemed to be your own. You guarded your sister."

They nodded again.

"You do love me, how could you not after all I've done for you?" 

They closed their eyes and thought of  **Him.** Thought of what  **He'd** said. They searched themself honestly,  **He** would know if they lied. 

They found no fondness, no love for this stranger. They opened their eyes and  **He** already knew what they found.

"How selfish of you."  **He** said sadly.

"I know I'm a broken record on this" they crossed their arms loosely, "but I don't owe you, no matter what you've done."

They took a step forward.

"You love  _ me _ though" they said accusingly. "Your statements reveal you pretty obviously hold love for me, I think that further proves my point."

**He** said nothing.

"I win"

**He** said nothing.

The ground beneath them opened and they dropped in the blink of an eye. There was a moment, a heartstopping moment, where Lucifer was an angel again. Plummeting helplessly away from his home. Then he was back, in the present he was a different man, a demon who could save himself. He had wings.

MC did not.

It took no thought, he spread his wings and caught the air like a parachute. His hands reached for MC and pulled them away from the fall.

He lowered them to the ground and set them down gently.

Looking down to earth from the Celestial Realm, he didn't feel dizzy from the height. He knew he could fly, he could save himself and anyone else who might fall. It was so simple. He was confused how he'd ever been afraid to begin with. 

MC looked up and saw the hole they fell through closing up. 

They'd won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long Chapter for the finale! It has been an honor. 🤟

Lucifer held their hand as they walked through the battlefield.

Their eyes focused on the horizon, scanning for the brothers, scanning for survivors.

His heart pounded at the contact between their hands. His face heated and his heart soared that they were letting him  _ touch them. _

MC had defeated his father. It was something he'd tried to do and failed. Something he thought was impossible, beyond impossible, even he couldn't rap his head around how it could happen.

MC had done it on the fly. He hadn't warned them before he took them up to confront  **Him** . He hadn't even been warned, he just felt so strongly that it was the right thing to do that he did it. And they'd taken that in stride and formulated a sublime plan.

They took everything in stride.

Being godly was just second nature to them. Now they walked the ruins of the Celestial battle with their hand lightly entwined with his, and they didn't brag. They didn't smile or hold their head any higher. They'd always held their head high, as if they'd known all along they were a deity of their own. Proving it gave them no pride, because they had nothing to prove to begin with.

And he was  _ holding their hand _ .

He was allowed to touch this god with his bare skin, he was allowed to walk beside them like an equal. It was the most disorienting feeling, to be so proud but feel so small next to a human. One he previously looked down upon. 

"MC!" 

He whipped his head around at the voice behind them. Who would  _ dare  _ to address the god in such a casual manner?

Acacia was jogging towards them, Mammon right behind her. They practically dragged Lucifer by the hand to meet her half way. 

There were hugs and words and yelling and a little crying. All of it conducted between the siblings as if there was no one else to see. Eventually they got the story of how Mammon had fought Michael off until backup arrived. 

There were no casualties.

They had won, they could go home.

0

The house of Lamentation...was in shambles.

The angels had not been kind in their search for the brothers. They'd torn up rooms and walls in search of secret places to hide. The general bones of the building were ok, but the rooms would need to be completely reworked.

Lilith's room was the hardest to see.

They unanimously decided to put the clean up off until tomorrow. They weren't upset, just tired. They'd made tougher situations work in the last year or so. They set up what they could for the night and did a little shopping for dinner. 

Acacia was talking to Beel when Mammon pulled her aside.

"What's up Man?" 

"Where's Abaddon?" He asked bluntly. Acacia blinked then laughed like a hyena.

"Him? Oh he ditched us after Micheal showed up." She waved her hand dismissively.

"But...I thought you like... _ belonged _ to him or some junk." He shuddered at the notion. Acacia just chuckled again.

"Well our contract doesn't hold if he doesn't want me, guess I'm just too difficult for him." She winked. Mammon smacked his hand against his forehead. Of course. That's why she was treating him like a dog and being all cocky.

"You were trying to drive him away!"

"Yeah I thought that was obvious." She shrugged.

"Not to me, I thought it was hot." He said it without thinking and cringed immediately. She just put her hands on her hips and stared him down. 

"That right?" Her tone was soft but authoritative. Mammon shivered.

"Ah...um well…y-yeah.." he stuttered hopelessly. She laughed openly at him and he felt his heart warm at the sound. 

He never wanted that laugh to be anyone else's.

"Be my girlfriend." He said suddenly. She blinked and looked at him wide eyed.

"Wait really?"

"Of course really!" He practically shouted, "I don't want you to belong to Abaddon or anyone else! So just be with me already." He grumbled the last part. Acacia looked at him, then the ground, then the sky, then back at him.

"Ah I...ok yeah, yeah! I'll be your girlfriend Mammon. Oh crap I'm your girlfriend?"

"You're my girlfriend." He smiled like an idiot. He almost didn't believe the words. Acacia threw her hands around his neck and kissed him. She'd obviously not kissed a lot, it was inexperienced and controlling, but Mammon absolutely melted none-the-less.

0

Lucifer had asked MC to come to his room, but it wasn't like the last time he'd done so. He didn't demand, he almost stuttered actually. He'd been like that a lot around them lately. Averting his gaze and tripping over himself. It was so unlike him they were genuinely concerned. Now they stood outside his room one more time. A lot had changed, but the feeling was the same.

They knocked before they entered, three curt raps.

"MC!" He stood quickly as they entered the room. "You came"

"Why are you being weird?" They asked. They'd never been one to lead up to a question. He respected that, unsurprisingly he didn't need the question spelled out for him.

"How couldn't I?" he said quietly, sounding more like himself. They tossed the answer around in their head.

"Is this because I won the bet with your dad?" They asked, matching Lucifer's soft tone. He closed his eyes.

"Yes."

There was a silence between them. Lucifer's legs shook in their presence and forced him to kneel before them in a very fitting gesture. He opened his eyes but couldn't look at their face. He didn't feel worthy. 

He instead looked at their hands, folded lightly in front of them. He'd been proud of his hands once, they could heal a soldier and wield a sword all without thought. He stopped loving them after the fall, covering them so his sins could never sully their initial purity. He hadn't worn his gloves in a long time, he realized.

MCs hands weren't like his. They were smaller, softer on the back but calloused around the palms. Their hands could craft any number of items or art. They were so skilled they'd almost been given a life of their own. They could weave without a loom, they could build a home and work a job but still be gentle enough to wipe a tear. 

They could drag a soul back from the precipice of death.

These hands were the ones that pet his hair and comforted him while their owner stared down God himself. These hands held his unworthy ones after the fact, pulling him lightly through the battlefield.

MC approached him in the silence, their holy hands reaching to cup his face and make him look up at them.

"The only thing God couldn't do was make me love him." They spoke carefully, never taking their eyes off his. "You made me love you from the day I arrived in the Devildom. Be in awe of yourself, love." 

He stared uncomprehending. He was so confused and it was a feeling he didn't like. He'd sought to own them and that was wrong, then he found out how powerful they actually were and now that's still wrong?

He searched their face for answers. They said nothing, their eyes said he already knew the answer. If he couldn't own them and couldn't worship them what did they  _ want  _ from him?

Nothing. He could hear their voice in his head.

He owed them nothing.

They'd done something Lucifer could not in defeating his father...he'd done something his father could not in making MC love him.

They just wanted him, that was the answer.

0

MC slept in Lucifer's room that night, extrapolate from that what you will. The next day they woke to find Acacia sitting on Mammon's lap at the breakfast table, being disgustingly couple-y.

Life went on, it always does. Their troubles didn't end there, but Micheal never dared to confront them again.

Neither did God.

The house's reconstruction took months to complete, but Diavolo was very cooperative after everything. Lucifer still served him and helped him with his matters, but their relationship never truly returned to normal.

They didn't rebuild Liliths room, people died and building a monument wouldn't bring them back. They converted the room for the humans, but neither of them used it.

Their family was strong, brought closer than ever by the trials they'd faced together and the storm they'd weathered. The days practically flew as they passed, turning quickly into months...then to years. It wasn't until MC realized a decade had passed that they really questioned it.

They hadn't aged.

They looked at themself in the full length mirror of Lucifer's bathroom and marveled. They hadn't aged a day since they were eighteen years old, fighting that battle all those years ago.

They questioned Acacia about it and she too had to admit she didn't feel a day older. Their confusion only mounted as not even Satan's books held an answer.

Eventually it was Lucifer who found the answer. Ten years was nothing to a demon and he could still clearly remember the day they'd taken on his father, the boon they'd requested.

To live with their family forever.

They had no idea  **He'd** taken that to mean immortality, but they took it in stride regardless. Acacia was affected as well, and they had no other human loved ones to tie them to mortality.

"This works out well actually" Lucifer said thoughtfully.

"How's that?" They responded, looking away from their reflection.

"Diavolo and I have been considering reopening the exchange program." 

They laughed once.

"Diavolo's dream of peace is dead, doesn't he know that?" They asked incredulously.

"Well perhaps with the Celestial Realm," he paused. "But the human realm has been so incredibly helpful, and now that we know more about it from living there I thought it would be good to form relations...for our own sake." He almost trailed off. MC looked at him pointedly.

"So this is  _ your  _ dream?" They said teasingly. He sighed but didn't deny it.

"Yes."

"Alright, I think it's got some merit." They admitted, "but what does that have to do with me being immortal?"

"Well we were thinking…" he paused for dramatic effect. "Humans might feel more comfortable if it's a  _ human _ who greets them." He side eyed them, they stepped closer.

"You want me to introduce people to the Devildom?"

"Will you?"

They weighed the pros and cons, he was right about humans being more comfortable around humans. And who better than one who'd been through the process?

"I will." They decided.

0

Aaron had never seen such a large hall. The room held no people, but many chairs and tapestries. He had no memory of how he'd gotten there, but he couldn't shake the unease. Like the feeling of being in the twilight zone, not where he should be.

Behind him he heard a door click open. Whirling around he saw a figure in the doorway.

Immeasurable power and purpose radiated from the stranger. Their posture was straight and dignified as they had one hand on the doorframe and the other on the large door they'd opened. They wore clean black slacks and a simple black sweater with gold trim. Their ears were pierced and adorned with a number of golden earrings, including a curious golden bow. Around their shoulders was a large red tail boa constrictor.

Aaron had to repress a shiver as dark eyes fell upon him from the stranger with the air of royalty.

"Ah you're here early I see." They said simply. "I'm afraid the student council leaders aren't here yet."

Aaron blinked, what on earth were they talking about? They looked at him and smiled. They knew that feeling, it had been many thousands of years since they'd stood in this hall for the first time, but they remembered the day clearly.

"For now I guess I will orient you however I can, you no doubt have questions." 

Aaron smiled and nodded in relief. The stranger paused as if thinking if where to start, stepping fully into the room they spoke in a soft voice that made his stomach flip.

"Welcome to the Devildom, Aaron"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read and commented and stuck with this the entire way. It's been so fun and your comments give me life. I actually hate to end it but this is always where I intended it to end so it's inevitable. I hope you all have a wonderful day and read many more fic's that make you smile. ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave a comment if you enjoyed it or if I made a mistake. It's free and it's like crack to me.


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